THE LIBRA RY
The latest book releases for curious minds
GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS 2022
THE ANNUAL THAT NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION
AUTHOR VARIOUS
PUBLISHER GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS LIMITED
ILLUSTRATOR ROD HUNT
PRICE £20 / $28.95
RELEASE OUT NOW
Let’s start with a bit of history: Guinness World Records was conceived over 60 years ago in 1954 after the thenmanaging director of the Guinness Brewery, Hugh Beaver, had a heated debate with the hosts of a shooting party over what the fastest game bird in Europe was. Despite poring through reference books, they couldn’t settle it. This inspired Beaver to put together a book that would help settle arguments in pubs, and with the help of experts, 1,000 copies were printed and given away to public houses all over the country with the aim of promoting Guinness.
But it was so popular that people wanted to buy it; it became a bestseller over Christmas 1955, and 67 years later, with millions of copies sold all over the world, we’ve arrived at the 2022 hardback edition - the environmental edition, which sports an incredibly detailed isometric scene on the cover by Rod Hunt. Guinness World Records has chosen to spotlight environmental issues this year not just because it’s a hot-button topic, but it also lends itself to all shades of fascinating world records. From silly stuff like most public votes to name a research vessel, which was awarded to the now-legendary Boaty