The Best of Laxman: Vol. 7

"From the Mumbai underworld to the cricket World Cup, from political instability to rampant corruption, Laxman’s latest volume of cartoons captures the entire gamut of contemporary Indian experience. Hilarious and thought provoking at the same time, this is a treasurehouse of humour from one of the most striking voices commenting on Indian socio-political life today.

"For half a century, the Times of India has thoughtfully provided an antidote to all the bad news brimming on its front pages. It’s a sketch, a single box, inked by R.K. Laxman, the country’s sharpest cartoonist and political satirist. Each morning, Laxman’s frazzled character, known as the Common Man, confronts India’s latest heartbreak with a kind of wry resignation. Meek, dottering and with a moustache that bristles like an electrocuted mongoose, he’s a witness to everything: scheming politicians, rapacious bureaucrats and gossiping housewives. What’s common about this character is that like most Indians, he sees his country being forced through endless indignities by its leaders and yet doesn’t even whimper in protest".

[R.K. Laxman’s books include The Hotel Riviera and The Messenger.]