The book that set the record

The answers to these questions, and hundreds of others, can of course be found in Guinness World Records, the book that is a record in and of itself. With over 100 million copies sold since its first edition in 1955, it is the world's most-sold licensed book. Today it is published in 25 languages in more than 100 countries.

In Sweden, Guinness World Records has been published by Bonnierförlagen since 1968. Starting with this year's edition, Bonnier Fakta will take over from Bokförlaget Forum to become the title's new publishing house.

"We sell 100,000 copies every year," says Göran Wiberg, marketing director at Bonnier Fakta. "In total we've sold 3.5 million copies in Sweden, which must make it the most-sold non-fiction book during the past few decades. Sweden actually ranks sixth in the world when it comes to the number of copies of Guinness World Records sold, and per capita, no one beats us."

What does its success depend on?

"At the end of the 90s global sales figures were down, and Guinness understood that something had to be done. Before the new millennium, the cover, which looks the same around the world, was completely redesigned. Sales soon took off, and have remained high ever since. The idea is now refreshed on an annual basis: one year it included 3D glasses and every photo was in 3D, and another time the cover was a hologram. This year it's downloads, in the form of links inside the book to films showing the record-setters in action."

Do people ever come to you with questions, hoping to get their record in the book?

"Yes, all the time. But there hasn't been a Swedish editorial office since 2001. Instead we refer all records and inquiries to the head office in London. Before that, quite a few records were actually set here in Bonnierförlagen's gymnastics hall."