Humour is the spice of life.

Its value was recognized right from the ancient times when kings employed court jesters to liven up things and both the monarch and the populace felt amused by their activities.

Birbal and Tenali Ram have become the epitome of repartee and wit.

One finds humour in everyday life too. There is a lot of humour in academics and science - also such as the stories of absent-minded professors are a legion.

This book covers rib-tickling jokes and anecdotes spawned by fraud in examinations, foibles of authors and the latest gizmo, the computer, not to speak of the usual half-literate politician having academic pretences.

Also are included the propensity of people to murder the Queen`s English without any regard for her feelings, along with jokes on the medical profession thrown in for a good measure.

A lot of the items in the book have been drawn from the author`s personal experiences or have been created by him.

So, be prepared! And if you fall off laughing, do not blame the author!


Some glimpses of academic humour:

*Newly arrived as Humboldt fellow in Hiedelberg,Germany, one day I lost my way. As I stood on the road wondering whom to approach for directions, I saw a sikh gentleman across the road.

I ran to him and told my problem in Hindi. After giving me directions, he asked in all seriousness,`How did you guess that I was an Indian?`


*After a survey it was found that the favourite rock music band of a group of geologists was `Rolling Stones`.


*One woman:`Is your husband a bookworm?`

The second woman:`No,an ordinary one.`


*A young mother goes into a bookstore and asks the salesgirl:`I want a book on child education.

The sales girl replies:`Sorry madam we don`t have one.`

The woman:`Then I want one on self-control.`