This Day in History: br 'The Guinness Book br 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 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 produces br the first book, who continued to br compile the book for two decades.br An American edition br followed in 1956.