Annals of Improbable Research
The Journal of Record for Inflated Research
and Personalities

"The field of culinary evolution faces one great dilemma: why do most cooked, exotic meats taste like cooked Gallus gallus, the domestic chicken?... Patterns of flavors for cooked mammals are not as clear-cut. The origins of 'beef-like' flavor coincide with the origins of hoofed mammals. However, it is impossible to tell whether 'beef-like' flavor evolved before or after 'pork-like' flavor did. Of course, this argument rests on the hearsay evidence that humans themselves have a 'pork-like' flavor. I leave it as an exercise for interested readers to settle this point."

"Here are some evocative statements culled from hospital records:

• The patient refused an autopsy.
• The patient has no past history of suicides.
• Patient left his white blood cells at another hospital.
• Apparently the mother resented the fact that she was born in her forties.
• Patient was becoming more demented with urinary frequency.
• Physician has been following the patient's breasts for six years.
• This unfortunate 45-year-old woman has known me for about eight years."

These are just two examples of the kind of inspired lunacy found in the pages of the Annals of Improbable Research (AIR). It's also a way for me to write half of a review without contributing a single word of my own. I laughed, snorted and only occasionally yawned my way through these three issues of AIR—high points included the previously quoted "Tastes Like Chicken?", the always amusing scientist/supermodel Symmetra's relationship advice column (wherein she employs quantum physics to simplify and suggest practical solutions to the lovelorn) and the dozens of small, highly clever ditties intended, overall, to lance the boil of respectability on the ass of modern science. There are times when the content is obviously directed at—and meant to be appreciated by—those in scientific professions, but thankfully (for me, at least) most of these are very accessible and outright hilarious.

Reviewed by Brian Brasel
01.25.99