Guinness World Records a book supplying the answers to this sort of question might prove successful. Beaver's idea became reality when Guinness employee Christopher Chataway recommended University friends Norris and Ross McWhirter, who had been running a fact-finding agency in London. The twin brothers were commissioned to compile what became "The Guinness Book of Records" in August 1954. A thousand copies were printed and given away. After the founding of "The Guinness Book of Records" at 107 Fleet Street, London, the first 198-page edition was bound on 27 August 1955 and went to the top of the British best seller lists by Christmas.
The Wright Brothers (book) McCullough recalled, "I didn't know when (chronologically) I was going to end that book, and who do I run into in France but the Wright brothers." He continued, "I was delighted to find that Wilbur, at every chance, went to the Louvre to look at paintings, and the degree that he was moved by the great Gothic works of France was far beyond that of an ordinary tourist. [...] Much of what has been written about the Wright brothers (in French) has been ignored. That's what pulled me into doing the book." McCullough has had a lifelong interest in aviation.