#Review: The Bench, the Bar and the Bizarre by Tushar Mehta

Most books about law focus on statutes, landmark judgments, and legal principles. The Bench, the Bar and the Bizarre takes a refreshingly different route. Instead of examining the law at its most formal, Tushar Mehta explores it at its most human, eccentric, and unexpectedly entertaining.

What I enjoyed most about this book is its ability to reveal the personalities, quirks, contradictions, and occasional absurdities that exist behind the imposing façade of courts and legal institutions. Drawing from real cases and judicial episodes from across the world, the author presents stories involving dissenting judges, courtroom oddities, social media misadventures, supernatural claims, artificial intelligence, and legal controversies that are stranger than fiction. Reading it felt like wandering through a hidden corridor of legal history where every door opened to a story more surprising than the last.

The writing strikes a fine balance between scholarship and storytelling. While the subject matter is rooted in law, the narrative remains accessible to non-lawyers. The author’s wit, curiosity, and eye for detail transform what could have been a niche legal compilation into an engaging reading experience for a wider audience.

What stayed with me long after I finished the book was the reminder that the law, despite its solemn language and rituals, is ultimately shaped by deeply human individuals. Like a collection of courtroom folklore curated by a seasoned guide, this book entertains, informs, and occasionally astonishes. For lawyers, law students, and curious readers alike, it offers a fascinating glimpse into the unusual side of justice that rarely finds its way into textbooks.

Find this book here.