Common Man Goes to the Village The

A collection of gems by our best-loved cartoonist R.K. Laxman'For half a century the Times of India has thoughtfully provided an antidote to all the bad news brimming on its front pages. It is a sketch a single box inked by R.K. Laxman the . . . sharpest cartoonist and political satirist [of the country]. Each morning [the] frazzled character known as the Common Man confronts [the] latest heartbreak with a kind of wry resignation. Meek doddering and with a moustache that bristles like an electrocuted mongoose he is a witness to everything scheming politicians rapacious bureaucrats and gossiping housewives. What is common about this character is that like most Indians he sees his country being forced through endless indignities by its leaders and yet does not even whimper in protest.' ~ TIMEFrom financial crises to the woes of householders from political instability to rampant corruption these cartoons capture the entire gamut of contemporary Indian experience. Hilarious and thought-provoking at the same time this is a treasure house of humour from one of the most striking voices commenting on Indian sociopolitical life today.