The Guinness Book of Records was inspired by Sir Hugh Beaver’s argument about bird speeds on a hunting trip. He partnered with the McWhirter twins to start Guinness Superlatives, which published the first book in 1955. The book holds its own records, including being the most frequently stolen book from libraries and the world’s best-selling copyrighted book.
The Guinness Book of Records is intimately linked to the famous Guinness Brewery, particularly known for its intoxicating stout. The beer long precedes the book. Beer was brewed in the early 18th century. The book, on the other hand, was not published until the 18th.
The Guinness Brewery can only claim partial responsibility for the book. Sir Hugh Beaver was, in 1954, the managing director of the brewery. While on a hunting trip, he had an argument with a friend about the relative speed of the plover and grouse. Each man took a stand on which bird was the fastest. Sir Hugh considered the subject on his return from his journey and felt that a book was needed which answered such questions.
By 1951, the twins Norris and Ross McWhirter had started a publishing house to research such issues and supply them to periodicals. They had written an article about a Guinness athlete, Christopher Chataway. Chataway introduced Sir Hugh to the brothers. The meeting culminated in a partnership and the start of Guinness Superlatives, a publishing house.
The first book sold very well, inspiring both the publisher and the McWhirters to write an annual book. In 1975, however, the once happy partnership between the brothers and Guinness ended. Ross McWhirter has been in discussions with the Guinness Company regarding their stance on the terrorist attacks carried out by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) in London. He offered a reward for terrorist information and was assassinated a few weeks later.
The Guinness Book of Records holds some of its own records. For example, it is the most frequently stolen book from libraries. Additionally, it is the world’s best-selling copyrighted book, with over 100 million books sold in over 30 languages.
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