Getting into Guinness: One Man's Longest, Fastest, Highest Journey Inside the World's Most Famous Record Book

by Larry Olmsted, Larry Olmstead

A fascinating mix of participatory journalism and history, Getting Into Guinness is the never-before-told story of the bestselling copyrighted book of all time. Veteran reporter Larry Olmsted began a personal quest to break an existing world record, then to set another one, and soon he was fully immersed in the crazy and highly competitive world of record breaking. This is his behind-the-scenes report of the characters who created the famous record book and continue to make it wackier and wackier with every passing year. The enthralling 50-year history of the Guinness World Records is a story of phenomenal success, equally compelling failures, and extreme oddities. People all over the world strive to get into the book, often in the most unbelievable ways. Olmsted chronicles some of the funniest and most interesting Guinness record holders from a uniquely insider he himself is one of them. It all began with a gentleman's wager over which was the fastest game bird in Europe, the golden plover or the grouse. The attempt to answer this question has sold more than 100 million books in dozens of languages and every corner of the globe. Today, there is heated competition for the record to hold the most records (currently held by Ashrita Furman, 114 records and counting), as well as classic curiosities that have lasted for decades (the tallest man in history is still Robert Wadlow, at 8' 11"). Interwoven into all of this is Olmsted's account of his own two successful record-setting attempts, the first involving traveling halfway around the world with his golf shoes—"Greatest Distance Between Two Rounds of Golf on the Same Day"—and the second causing him to nearly lose his mind while playing the world's longest poker session. Why do people devote so much energy to get into the record book, often at great risk? Why do the most extreme fans devote their entire lives to this pursuit? Why is society so obsessed with records and record breaking? Why do Americans alone buy a million and a half copies of the famous book every year, propelling it to the top of the bestseller lists decade after decade? Why do readers of all generations remember the same record-holding icons, the fattest twins, the longest fingernails, and the tallest man? After his own journey inside the world of record breaking, these are the questions Olmsted attempts to answer. In the tradition of the bestselling Word Freak —a mélange of travelogue, memoir, investigative journalism, and history— Getting Into Guinness is a must-read for anyone who has ever read Guinness World Records and wondered why someone would grow their fingernails for an entire lifetime.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Biography

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Todd Stockslager · Rating 4 out of 5]

Olmsted's book reminded me of an obsession I didn't realize was so close to the surface, but as I sit down to write this review, the artifacts of my one attempt to get into "The Book" are by my side.

In 2004, I attended a Minor League baseball game between the Greensboro Bats and Augusta Green Jackets in Greensboro, NC (I still have the ticket stub) where each fan was given a whoopee cushion (that too--but do you know that after four years a whoopee cushion dries to the consistency of very thin and very crispy red potato chips?) and a slip of paper with the auspicious heading (OF COURSE!--you think I'd save a dessicated and disintegrating whoopee cushion and not save this?):

"Guinness World Record"

"The Greensboro Bats will once again attempt to set a world record tonight by having the largest simultaneous whoopee cushion sit. The sit will take place at the end of the 5th inning. Please listen carefully to the instructions given during the 5th inning in order to make this a success. The validity of our world record is only confirmed by individuals signing their own name so please remain in your seats after the sit takes place."

At the appointed time, the fans in the stadium (a brief rain shower had scattered some under the stands, but most returned to their seats), as well as all the players, coaches, and even the umpires (on folding chairs placed along the foul lines) sat on their whoopee cushions. The soft, always- and adolescently-funny pfffffft of several thousand whoopee cushions activated at once reduced me to tears of laughter, and made me a kid again . . . .

. . . . much like Olmsted's book. Beginning as a magazine story pitched by freelance magazine writer Olmsted (Golf Magazine, Playboy, Inc., and USA Today among his credits), "Getting into Guinness" covers the surprisingly short (just over 50 years) and convoluted history of the book to end all bar debates. Begun as a marketing tool for the Guinness breweries with a ready-made market of thousands of pubs and millions of pub patrons, the book quickly spun off and grew into the best-selling copyrighted book in history.

I can remember as a child in school eager to get the Scholastic Books paper flyer of books we could order for ridiculously low prices; one of the books I most wanted was the "Guinness Book of World Records." Sometime in the early 1970s, the edition I owned and reread cover-to-cover until dogeared was a small but brick-thick brown paperback, the pictures tiny and black and white. Olmsted reveals that

1. I wasn't alone: the target audience for "The Book" is seven to fourteen-year-old boys (some of its many publishers have been children's book and entertainment conglomerates).

2. The new editions are large-format and full of color photographs, with a focus on the photogenic and bizarre.

3. The records weren't as they seemed.

Olmsted does a good job of documenting the process of setting records and the approaches to take to improve the chances of getting into the book (less than 10% of records are published in the printed book in any given edition). He describes his own record-setting experiences (he has two set records, one still standing), and talks to several unknown and celebrity record-setters about their motivation (and for some obsession), training, background, and record-setting processes. An appendix describes how you too can become a Guinness record breaker.

He also talks about the dark side of Guinness--the ambivalent approach to policing extreme and dangerous records, the inconsistency in recognizing record attempts and record-holders, the increasing focus on questionable celebrity- and "reality"-based records. But Olmsted's book is no dark-side, secrets-revealed expose of the evil Guinness empire, but rather a serious and even gentle consideration of the sometimes negative impact of the record-setting sickness, which Olmsted cites as precursors of our celebrity-mad "reality"-driven media.

It is surprising, then, given the generally positive slant of the book, and Olmsted's own position as a Guinness record holder, to find in an appendix that after discussing the book idea with Guinness the publisher refused to cooperate with provide behind the scenes access, and threatened to sue to stop publication.

Fortunately, the threat didn't stop Olmsted. Sure, this is not a world-changing historical or cultural study; it reads like an extended magazine, only natural given its genesis and Olmsted's journalistic background. But let it take you back to your youthful incredulity at the amazing feats documented in The Book, and you will remember what it was like in those innocent days when everything there was true and pure because, well it was in the Guinness Book of World Records!

. . . . For weeks after returning home from my part in the baseball-stadium whoopee-cushion sit-in, I checked the Internet for word that the record was official. It never came. Tonight, I searched http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/s... for "whoopee [and whoopie] cushion", and no match was found. Maybe not enough of my fellow fans signed the forms on the way out of the stadium, or maybe the team failed to follow some small rule put in place by Guinness. A little bit of boy in me died, but I still have my ticket stub, the announcement, and one crumbling old whoopee cushion displayed on a shelf in my office. I think I'll keep 'em

[Phil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ken Jennings told me to read this book, and I did enjoy it, but I'm about halfway done and I'm not going to force myself to slog through until the end. I expected a history of the Guinness book and its record holders to be a little more exciting.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Is there anyone in the world who hasn't pored over the photos of Chang and Eng and that guy with the long, curly fingernails? This is an exploration of what it takes to get into the Guinness Book. There are some fascinating stories, but it could have used a good editor - the author repeated himself a bit. Still, a fun read.

[Marcel · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting read about the origin and evolution of the Guinness Book of World Records and some of its record holders.

[Rick Bavera · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a big fan of the Guinness Book of World Records when I was a kid. Still like the "original" take on the books, when they are packed full of information, much like an almanac or encyclopedia. It was definitely a reference type of book.

Larry Olmsted tells some of the history of the book, the museums, the people trying to get into Guinness, and the changes that came to the book of records, which I have not purchased since it became the big shiny glossy monstrosity it is now.

Olmsted's book makes for an interesting and good read.

[Sharon Falduto]

This guy, who got in the book twice--for "longest distance between golf games played in one day" and for "longest continuous poker playing (72 hours)", writes about the history of the book, and profiles some of his favorite record setters and makes suggestions as to how to set a record yourself. One of his sources is, curiously, Ken Jennings' "Brainiac."

[Sarah Lewis · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn't get into the book. Unfortunately couldn't finish. Not for me

[Katlyn Calia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read a paper copy purchased in Australia

[Kristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

My teenage cousin lent me this book, as she'd started it, but it didn't hold her interest. I can understand why, because even though I found it fascinating, it included a lot of history about the Guinness Book of World Records, up to and including the accounts of the two records the author set to earn a place in the book. The two records that were set, one in golfing, and one in poker playing, probably aren't on the radar of the average teenage girl.
I got my first Guinness Book in 1992, at the age of 8, and remember, as Olmstead describes, paging through in wonder at all the accomplishments and the accompanying pictures. I distinctly remember the sports records from the Olympics, and the growth records like Tallest Man and Longest Fingernails. I got another in 1995, and possibly a 3rd some time before it went from looking like a small brick to looking like a tabletop photo album, which I think was 2000, but none got as much thumbing through as the 1992 edition. Therefore, Olmstead is accurate in his assessment that the book appeals mostly to 7-15 year-old boys, though I didn't quite meet the 'boy' part of that statement.
Also included in the book are interviews with some of the famous record-setters, including the man with the most records and a man known for setting records related to his handling of live rattlesnakes. It was interesting to learn those perspectives, as they make a lifelong commitment to setting records. Olmstead details the process of trying to get into the book and how many rules and regulations there are for even the simplest of records, which makes the story of the fellow with the most records more fascinating, as he's in a constant process of applying for records at the same time he's setting a bunch of others.
I did chuckle a few times during the reading of the book, especially when he's detailing some of the more ridiculous records that get accepted. My favorite was in the section about object-throwing records, and that when all the obvious items like balls, Frisbees, etc. have seemingly untoppable records, the best thing to do is pick a new object, say a washing machine! Record for that at the time of the book's publishing was a mere 11 feet.
Also enjoyable was Olmsted's account of the effort it took to set his second record, for marathon poker playing, and what 70+ hours of no sleep does to the body. Not something I'll be trying soon, heck I get cranky after 24 hours.
Overall though, it was sort of a dry read and not something I'd read again, but then I'm not a huge history buff, and one pass through a history book is usually enough for me.

[Lyra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book so much more. The topic is fun, the early history of the book well researched, and the subject matter has a broad appeal. Unfortunately, I struggled to be fully engaged. It took me a while to identify why and I'm still not sure I can articulate the specifics.
There were a lot of LONG paragraphs in the book, ones that wrapped over a full page length. Going by the rule that the most important sentence is the topic sentence and what follows should support that sentence, I found myself lost in paragraphs that began with one subject, meandered to a second and ended at a third (or fourth, or fifth).
The meandering nature led me to suspect I'd read the exact same evidence multiple times.
The author normally writes for magazines, so presumably can write tight, structured pieces, but the repetition and long paragraphs seemed like filler to meet a certain word count.

It is also worth noting that the author did not have access to official Guinness archives and relied heavily on secondary and tertiary sources as well as his own experience. Hard-core Guinness Book of Records fans and those with aspirations to get a certificate are likely to enjoy this more than the lay audience.

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most unique book I have ever read. If you like stats random facts or have ever owned or read a volume of the Guinness Book Of World Records, this book is for you! It gives you a look at an annual book that everyone in the world has at least heard of from an angle that is really intriguing. The author, being a current holder of a guiness world record knows all about the intrigue the book has on people and he gives a personal look at what drives people to get their name in the book. It also gives you an in depth look at the history of the book, the most famous names in it, and how it has changed!

[Jtrain · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very fun book that explores the very strange world of the Guinness Book of World Records. The book made me reconsider what I think of Guinness. Parts of the story are absolutely fascinating - the book's actual origin, which is quite different from what it became, and some of the stranger stories behind the strange records. The author's own attempts to break the record are also hilarious. The book suffers when it violently switches gears and tries to become too academic, exploring the psychology behind record holders, which is pretty dull stuff.

[Mark Farley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Larry Olmsted's book isn't just about the famed tome of world records, the best selling copyrighted book in history no less, but also a study about one's obsession with fame and looks at the history of the emergence of reality or real people into the forefront of the public's subconscious. Not only does the author studiously confront the whole industry and intricate process of getting into the book, but he also takes on a couple of records himself with intriguing and entertaining results. Recommended

[jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed learning about the history of The Book, including all of the various names that have been attached over the years. Larry Olmsted's voice is spot-on for the subject matter, and I have already recommended this book to several people. I also enjoyed reading the explanation about the lack of support from the Guinness organization - it made me appreciate the author's honesty, and made me appreciate his work even more.

[Louise · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the subject matter is very interesting, the writing (or potentially editing) is very poor. Just one example- within a span of fifteen pages, the author uses the same block quote twice (pages 121 and 135, for those interested). I learned quite a bit about the Guinness Book of Records, and I enjoyed reading about the author's various attempts, but this book could have been at least 50 pages shorter than it is.

[J.M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting look at the history of the Guinness Book of World Records and many of the stranger records currently in the book, as well as the logistics about record breaking and the mentality necessary to do so. I would've liked breaks in the chapters, which were a bit long, but otherwise I enjoyed the book.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Getting into Guinness: One Man's Longest, Fastest, Highest Journey Inside the World's Most Famous Record Book" by Larry Olmsted is a quite interesting book. It recounts both the history of the Guinness Book of World Records and also histories of some of the more obsessive entrants in the book. It's an easy read full of psychology and interesting history. A read that is worth it.

[Annie Minor · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author learns a lot about the process of making a world record and the working of Guinness while researching them and deciding to go for a record and then some. Interesting observations are made about the body of people who attempt world records. A whole new perspective has opened up in reading this book on the world of setting records.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

What it takes to set a world record, by someone who's done so twice and doesn't seem completely satisfied yet. A fascinating glimpse into the history and convoluted dynamics of the record book of record.

[Kelsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was interesting...but not interesting enough. Or maybe it was the fact that I had a stack of books that interested me a great deal more. Other dings against this book were it was not what I had expected (more historical than narrative), and it seemed repetitive.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've always loved the Guinness Book -- since I was a kid. This is a great topic and has some interesting information, but it's pretty boring. The first few chapters have about all the information you're going to get out of the book.

[Roman Gokhman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Entertaining and educational at times, boring most of the time. because the author quotes other books every other page, this feels more like a text book than an original work. Every chapter introduced the same characters oevr and over, as if the author expected me to forget them.

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting concept, but far too much repetition of material. It could have been half as long.

[Lise · Rating 3 out of 5]

This microhistory of the Guiness World Records is a fun, light read with a little bitterness towards the end. It makes me want to read "Ross", by Norriss McWhirter.

[Kimberly White · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book. Made me want to set a record.

[Tyler Hartford]

Had its interesting points. Reminded me of earlier days of pouring through the Book of Records. Kinda dragged from time to time though.

[Elli · Rating 2 out of 5]

The things people do to get famous!

[Renee · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one man not that interesting .