The book that proves justice has a sense of humour

The Essentials

• Solicitor General Tushar Mehta has released a two-volume set of courtroom anecdotes titled The Bench, the Bar, and the Bizarre.
• The hardback collection is priced at approximately ₹2,000 and covers real-life legal oddities from jurisdictions outside India.
• You get a rare look at the absurd side of the law, from judges delivering verdicts while hunting to the modern risks of AI-generated legal errors.

The Pulse

When the man who represents the Government of India in the Supreme Court writes a book, you expect a heavy volume on constitutional law. Instead, Tushar Mehta has delivered what Chief Justice Surya Kant describes as a stand-up special in print. The collection, which includes a second volume titled The Lawful and the Awful, moves away from the dry prose of legal briefs to focus on the human theatre of the courtroom.

One of the most pressing questions for the modern professional is how technology is changing the legal landscape. Mehta addresses this by highlighting the rise of artificial intelligence and the bizarre “hallucinations” it can produce in legal filings. It is a cautionary note wrapped in wit, making it accessible even if you have never stepped foot inside a courtroom.

The book arrived on Mother’s Day and carries a personal dedication to the author’s late mother. While the tone is light, the presence of the Home Minister and the Chief Justice at the launch in New Delhi signals that even in its lighter moments, the dialogue between the judiciary and the executive remains a central pillar of Indian public life.

The Snapshot

The Big Picture

Legal literature in India has traditionally been dominated by dense biographies or scholarly texts like Fali Nariman’s Before Memory Fades. Mehta’s work represents a shift towards the kind of observational legal writing popular in the UK and US, where the absurdities of the system are used to humanise the law. By focusing on foreign jurisdictions, he avoids the political friction often found in Indian legal memoirs while still providing a mirror for our own institutional quirks.

The India Prospective

At roughly ₹1,000 per book, this set is positioned as a premium gift or a collector’s item for a professional’s bookshelf. It is readily available on major Indian platforms with standard UPI and credit card options. For the Mumbai or Bengaluru professional, it offers a sharp, intellectual break from business podcasts, providing a different perspective on how power and rules interact in the real world.

The Inside Intel

Mehta deliberately chose to exclude stories from Indian courtrooms for a very practical reason. Since he plans to continue his legal practice in India for many years, he decided it was safer to highlight the eccentricities of foreign judges rather than risk offending his colleagues or the bench at home.

The UDHQ. Take

At Unbox Daily HQ. we believe that if you enjoy dry wit and want a break from the usual self-help or business manuals, this set is worth your time. The price is justified by the high production quality of the hardbacks and the unique status of the author. Mehta’s warnings about AI in the judiciary make it particularly relevant for those in the tech and legal sectors. It is the perfect gift for a lawyer friend or a sharp addition to your own library. Buy it for the anecdotes but keep it for the insights into the future of technology in our courts.

Best for: A corporate lawyer in Mumbai who needs a laugh that feels like work-research.

Who Is This For: Perfect for 28 to 55-year-old professionals in urban India who appreciate sharp writing and institutional history.

The Checkout

Rupa Publications

The Source

PIB.GOV.