This Day in History: , 'The Guinness Book of Records' Debuts .<br />August 27, 1955.<br />The inaugural edition <br />was published in Great Britain.<br />Meant as a free publication for <br />pub goers to settle friendly disputes, <br />the book of human and animal records <br />quickly became a best-seller.<br />The book was the brain-<br />child of Sir Hugh Beaver, the <br />managing director of Dublin's <br />famous Guinness Brewery.<br />The book was the brain-<br />child of Sir Hugh Beaver, the <br />managing director of Dublin's <br />famous Guinness Brewery.<br />Beaver was struck with the idea <br />during a failed hunting trip in <br />Ireland, in which the party sought to <br />settle which bird was the fastest game fowl.<br />Beaver turned to brothers Ross <br />and Norris McWhirter to produce <br />the first book. The two continued to <br />compile the book for two decades.<br />An American edition <br />followed in 1956. Today, the <br />book complies thousands of <br />official Guinness world records
