i've been an enthusiast of the guiness book of world records since i was VERY young. i used to spend countless hours perusing the annual records books - memorizing often useless details. it turned out that, over the decades, many of those details have been useful, especially at parties and social gatherings. several times the information has been useful in academic settings. imagine how thrilled i was when my children both expressed an interest in the guiness book of world records. the format changed some years ago - it's much easier to read, page through, perhaps it has a few less records but it has bigger, brighter, and more photogenic images that grab the attention of kids! year after year, it's not significantly different. most of us can go 2-3 years without a new volume. the quality of the information, images, and the books itself is outstanding. this book, this year, is my effort to encourage my son to read a bit more. i give everything a grade, and i believe that this merits a solid "A". i believe that the guiness book of world records is excellent in detail and quality, and ought to be considered essential to public libraries, school libraries, and homes of individuals with an interest in "trivia".