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GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS 2012
A
REVIEW
by
Walt Hudson
I always
look forward to this time year when the latest
volume of the Guinness World Records is published.
It is astonishing how many ordinary people perform
extraordinary challenging feats. The current
2012 edition recognizes hundreds of individuals and
groups who break existing record and set new ones in
dozens of fields endeavor.
The
section Skills and Talent is like a visit to a
modern day circus. Featured among the many
entries are acrobats, jugglers, contortionists,
martial arts, wire walkers performing dogs, hoop
jumpers, foot jugglers and tight rope cycling.
The
section Human Body is like a visit to a modern
sideshow of human oddities. You will see the
record breaking bearded lady, longest beard, longest
finger nails, hairiest child, little and large
folks, heaviest gal and the gal with the longest
tongue. Also discover people with piercing,
tattoos, scarifications and other body
modifications.
It has
just been in recent years that sword swallowing
feats are permitted as a category because of its
dangerous nature. I was surprised and pleased
to see my Baltimore friend Dai Andrews noted for his
feat of swallowing a sword with a curvature of 120
inches! Dan Meyer who is founder of Sword
Swallowers Association International is cited for
his amazing performance of swallowing two swords
while submerged under water. Professional Matt
Henshaw set the record for swallowing 21 swords at
the same time!
Guinness
World Records 2012 is a hardback book and has 287
pages and is divided into 11 major sections bursting
with amazing feats and full color photos from around
the world. I highly recommend this captivating
cavalcade of curiosities and spectacles.
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