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The Very Best of the Common Man
The Very Best Of The Common Man is a tribute to one of India's best-loved cartoonists, R. K. Laxman. It presents a collection of some of Laxman's cartoons based on The Common Man, a character that appeared in Laxman's daily cartoon strip (titled You Said It) for the Times of India publication.
The Common Man, an average man representing the hopes and fears of the masses in India, remains one of the best characters in the history of Indian cartooning and illustration. He is depicted as a silent witness to all the socio-political happenings that are presented in the cartoons.
Through the Common Man cartoons, Laxman explores every aspect of living in contemporary India. From political instability to economic crises, from the deeply entrenched corruption to the woes of householders, Laxman portrays exactly what it means to live and experience the real India.
The book presents some of the best cartoons featuring The Common Man in all his mute glory.
This edition of The Very Best Of The Common Man was published in 2012 by Penguin India.
The Common Man, an average man representing the hopes and fears of the masses in India, remains one of the best characters in the history of Indian cartooning and illustration. He is depicted as a silent witness to all the socio-political happenings that are presented in the cartoons.
Through the Common Man cartoons, Laxman explores every aspect of living in contemporary India. From political instability to economic crises, from the deeply entrenched corruption to the woes of householders, Laxman portrays exactly what it means to live and experience the real India.
The book presents some of the best cartoons featuring The Common Man in all his mute glory.
This edition of The Very Best Of The Common Man was published in 2012 by Penguin India.
206 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2012
29 people are currently reading
838 people want to read
About the author
R.K. Laxman
57 books87 followers'''Rasipuram Krishnaswamy Iyer Laxman''' (born October 23 1924, Mysore, India) is an Indian cartoonist, illustrator and humorist. He is widely regarded as India's greatest-ever cartoonist and is best known for his creation ''The Common Man".
R. K. Laxman was awarded the prestigious Padma Bhushan by the Government of India. He has won many awards for his cartoons, including Asia's top journalism award, the Ramon Magsaysay Award, in 1984.
R. K. Laxman was awarded the prestigious Padma Bhushan by the Government of India. He has won many awards for his cartoons, including Asia's top journalism award, the Ramon Magsaysay Award, in 1984.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
May 11, 2018
I never had the privilege of reading the daily political cartoons of the excellent R K Laxman when I was a kid, simply because my family never subscribed to Times of India newspaper which published Laxman's cartoons, and that delayed my introduction to his Common Man. I still remember my first Common man: A simple penciled cartoon of a family staring blankly at an empty wall, with the caption running along the lines "The television is in the repair shop, and the family just don't know what else to do".
I read that one about 12 years ago, and it stayed with me ever since.
This 200-page collection contains 100 single paneled cartoons Laxman drew during his long career. His satirical panels presented here hits hard on the evergreen hypocrisy of politicians, unfulfilled election promises, bribes, natural disasters, damaged roads, cricket, child labor and everything under the sun that ails an Indian common man!
In my opinion, naming this collection as The very best of the common man is misleading. These 100 panels only scratch the surface of Common man's legendary run, and some of the panels presented here repeat itself like old wine in a new bottle. I would've loved to see a more diverse collection. Also, I thought it would be interesting to know which year each individual cartoons were originally published, but that information was missing too.
Nevertheless, This small book contains the bold legacy of India through the eyes Laxman's common man, which reminds us to look at everyday affairs without prejudice and manipulations, the two factors which populate our current day media.
I read that one about 12 years ago, and it stayed with me ever since.
This 200-page collection contains 100 single paneled cartoons Laxman drew during his long career. His satirical panels presented here hits hard on the evergreen hypocrisy of politicians, unfulfilled election promises, bribes, natural disasters, damaged roads, cricket, child labor and everything under the sun that ails an Indian common man!
In my opinion, naming this collection as The very best of the common man is misleading. These 100 panels only scratch the surface of Common man's legendary run, and some of the panels presented here repeat itself like old wine in a new bottle. I would've loved to see a more diverse collection. Also, I thought it would be interesting to know which year each individual cartoons were originally published, but that information was missing too.
Nevertheless, This small book contains the bold legacy of India through the eyes Laxman's common man, which reminds us to look at everyday affairs without prejudice and manipulations, the two factors which populate our current day media.
June 27, 2024
Cartoons that are relevant to this very day. Startlingly topical. Laced with humour and effortlessly funny. A thirty minute coffee-table read that'll make you think so much.
Barring a couple of them, brilliant stuff all around!
Here's an excerpt from the introduction that allows a peek into the mind of Narayan and his creativity potency :
"In the early days, I used to cram in as many figures as I could into a cartoon to represent the masses. Gradually I began to concentrate on fewer and fewer figures. These my readers came to accept as representative of the whole country. It would have been awfully anachronistic if I had attempted to prolong the presence of the Bharat Mata figure in my cartoons to symbolize the common people and their post-Independence turmoils. It would have been ridiculous, indeed, if Bharat Mata, with her crown and untied hair, holding our national flag, was seen hanging around in the background at a cabinet meeting, a glittering state banquet for a visiting foreign dignitary, or at the airport watching a worried minister dash off to Delhi. It would also not do to portray the common man in any manner one fancied, as many cartoonists did: sometimes as an old man in rags, sometimes as an emaciated individual and so on, bearing the legend 'The Common Man' on the hem of his clothes.
Eventually, I succeeded in reducing my symbol to one man: a man in a checked coat, whose bald head boasts only a wisp of white hair, and whose bristling moustache lends support to a bulbous nose, which in turn holds up an oversized pair of glasses. He has a permanent look of bewilderment on his face. He is ubiquitous. Today he is found hanging around a cabinet room where a high-powered meeting is in progress. Tomorrow he is among the slum dwellers listening to their woes, or marching along with protestors as they demand does not the abolition of the nuclear bomb. That, of course, preclude him from being present at a banquet hosted by the prime minister for a visiting foreign dignitary. This man has survived all sorts of domestic crises for forty years, long after the politicians who professed to protect him have disappeared. He is tough and durable. Like the mute millions of our country, he has not uttered a word in all the years he has been around. He is a silent, bewildered, and often bemused spectator of events which anyway are beyond his control."
(4/5 || December, 2023)
Barring a couple of them, brilliant stuff all around!
Here's an excerpt from the introduction that allows a peek into the mind of Narayan and his creativity potency :
"In the early days, I used to cram in as many figures as I could into a cartoon to represent the masses. Gradually I began to concentrate on fewer and fewer figures. These my readers came to accept as representative of the whole country. It would have been awfully anachronistic if I had attempted to prolong the presence of the Bharat Mata figure in my cartoons to symbolize the common people and their post-Independence turmoils. It would have been ridiculous, indeed, if Bharat Mata, with her crown and untied hair, holding our national flag, was seen hanging around in the background at a cabinet meeting, a glittering state banquet for a visiting foreign dignitary, or at the airport watching a worried minister dash off to Delhi. It would also not do to portray the common man in any manner one fancied, as many cartoonists did: sometimes as an old man in rags, sometimes as an emaciated individual and so on, bearing the legend 'The Common Man' on the hem of his clothes.
Eventually, I succeeded in reducing my symbol to one man: a man in a checked coat, whose bald head boasts only a wisp of white hair, and whose bristling moustache lends support to a bulbous nose, which in turn holds up an oversized pair of glasses. He has a permanent look of bewilderment on his face. He is ubiquitous. Today he is found hanging around a cabinet room where a high-powered meeting is in progress. Tomorrow he is among the slum dwellers listening to their woes, or marching along with protestors as they demand does not the abolition of the nuclear bomb. That, of course, preclude him from being present at a banquet hosted by the prime minister for a visiting foreign dignitary. This man has survived all sorts of domestic crises for forty years, long after the politicians who professed to protect him have disappeared. He is tough and durable. Like the mute millions of our country, he has not uttered a word in all the years he has been around. He is a silent, bewildered, and often bemused spectator of events which anyway are beyond his control."
(4/5 || December, 2023)
June 6, 2017
Politics!
Said to be the second oldest profession in the world, bearing a close resemblance to the first, politics has always been subjected to searing scrutiny and bitter ridicule. Especially in a highly populated country like India, politicians have been offering a lot of free ‘entertainment’ to the public, next only to cinema and cricket. Stupid statements, senseless actions, scams, and scandals – you ask for it and the Indian politicians only feel obliged to deliver it for your ‘pleasure’.
Cartoonists are that rare breed of people who make the caricatured images of theirs speak more than a thousand acerbic words mocking the actions of the politicians. Especially those cartons that appear daily in the newspapers seem like the oasis amidst all the chaotic news articles. R.K. Laxman is the doyen of the cartoonist profession in India. Having had a prolific career that spanned more than half a century, he is one cartoonist who can really claim to have seen it all and drawn it all.
This book contains some hundred plus cartoons of Laxman that have withstood the test of time. A mere glimpse at the cartoons and you will realize that our politicians have remained as pretentious, as egoistic, and as dumb as ever. Indulgence in boastful talks, broken promises, opportunistic behaviors have all been the bane of Indian politicians always. Hence some of the satiric jibes that Mr.Laxman had aimed at the politicians of old remain relevant enough for our ‘leaders’ of these days as well.
Leaders that visit their constitutions only during election campaigns, who don’t think twice before throwing senseless percentages and figures without showing any real progress on ground, the servile acolytes who need to flatter their bosses even during their visits to places hit by natural disasters – Laxman has drawn them all, keeping his ‘Common Man’ – a lovable bald old man – as a silent observer.
Just a complaint though. The cartoons have all been published on one side while the opposite side is used for a caption of only a line or two. Either they have opted to present the book so due to the poor, thin quality of the paper that could have made the images on different pages look overlapping and thus messy. Or, they could have done so to make this book appear in a decent size. But this seems to be a blatant wastage that the publishers could have very much avoided.
As for the content, a thoroughly enjoyable book and a collector’s treasure!
Said to be the second oldest profession in the world, bearing a close resemblance to the first, politics has always been subjected to searing scrutiny and bitter ridicule. Especially in a highly populated country like India, politicians have been offering a lot of free ‘entertainment’ to the public, next only to cinema and cricket. Stupid statements, senseless actions, scams, and scandals – you ask for it and the Indian politicians only feel obliged to deliver it for your ‘pleasure’.
Cartoonists are that rare breed of people who make the caricatured images of theirs speak more than a thousand acerbic words mocking the actions of the politicians. Especially those cartons that appear daily in the newspapers seem like the oasis amidst all the chaotic news articles. R.K. Laxman is the doyen of the cartoonist profession in India. Having had a prolific career that spanned more than half a century, he is one cartoonist who can really claim to have seen it all and drawn it all.
This book contains some hundred plus cartoons of Laxman that have withstood the test of time. A mere glimpse at the cartoons and you will realize that our politicians have remained as pretentious, as egoistic, and as dumb as ever. Indulgence in boastful talks, broken promises, opportunistic behaviors have all been the bane of Indian politicians always. Hence some of the satiric jibes that Mr.Laxman had aimed at the politicians of old remain relevant enough for our ‘leaders’ of these days as well.
Leaders that visit their constitutions only during election campaigns, who don’t think twice before throwing senseless percentages and figures without showing any real progress on ground, the servile acolytes who need to flatter their bosses even during their visits to places hit by natural disasters – Laxman has drawn them all, keeping his ‘Common Man’ – a lovable bald old man – as a silent observer.
Just a complaint though. The cartoons have all been published on one side while the opposite side is used for a caption of only a line or two. Either they have opted to present the book so due to the poor, thin quality of the paper that could have made the images on different pages look overlapping and thus messy. Or, they could have done so to make this book appear in a decent size. But this seems to be a blatant wastage that the publishers could have very much avoided.
As for the content, a thoroughly enjoyable book and a collector’s treasure!
October 18, 2020
Minor edits 18 October 2020.
Offhand I can think of few brothers as extraordinarily successful in their fields, and certainly as widely admired, as RK Narayan and his younger sibling RK Laxman.
Perhaps the Attenboroughs come close, David and Richard. Or in earlier times, Lawrence and Gerald Durrell.
The beloved Indian author, RK Narayan, had many of his works illustrated by his cartoonist brother, RK Laxman, to great effect, witness the Indian Thought edition of RKN's memoir My Days.
This 2012 Penguin compilation features the Common Man, Laxman's creation which he integrated into his editorial cartoons for The Times of India to signify puzzlement, mute acceptance or resigned understanding. His metier was Indian politics and its practitioners, often grandiloquent in their promises but under preforming in deed. My favourite Laxman cartoons are typified by one depicting a rural scene where the Common Man looks on, hands thrust in pockets, as an enthusiastic peasant speaks to visiting officials. He says:
Offhand I can think of few brothers as extraordinarily successful in their fields, and certainly as widely admired, as RK Narayan and his younger sibling RK Laxman.
Perhaps the Attenboroughs come close, David and Richard. Or in earlier times, Lawrence and Gerald Durrell.
The beloved Indian author, RK Narayan, had many of his works illustrated by his cartoonist brother, RK Laxman, to great effect, witness the Indian Thought edition of RKN's memoir My Days.
This 2012 Penguin compilation features the Common Man, Laxman's creation which he integrated into his editorial cartoons for The Times of India to signify puzzlement, mute acceptance or resigned understanding. His metier was Indian politics and its practitioners, often grandiloquent in their promises but under preforming in deed. My favourite Laxman cartoons are typified by one depicting a rural scene where the Common Man looks on, hands thrust in pockets, as an enthusiastic peasant speaks to visiting officials. He says:
Oh yes, this village has improved a lot, sir- it's almost like a big city now- no water, no electricity here either!Two quibbles: no dates on the cartoons, which would have helped contextualise them and the short introductory comments to help explain the cartoon (not by Laxman), are mostly unnecessary.
August 15, 2018
I picked up this book in Delhi airport to kill time and completed it in one hour. This is a selection of great works of noted political cartoonists(politoonists) Late R.K.Laxman.I must confess I am a fan of his work and his cartoons were the first thing I read in the Times of India.
Coming back to the book,its left leaning but is awesome .The main targets are politicians,bureaucracy and education system and are relevant even today.Its a book for all readers.
Since,I don't think I have it in me to criticise R.K.Laxman,I am giving it five stars
Coming back to the book,its left leaning but is awesome .The main targets are politicians,bureaucracy and education system and are relevant even today.Its a book for all readers.
Since,I don't think I have it in me to criticise R.K.Laxman,I am giving it five stars
October 5, 2020
For those who have missed the best capture of political atrocities on the daily, this is simply the best. All of the cartoons are timeless and can be related till date.
July 3, 2022
Oh, the common man is one of the country's most well known cartoon strips. This book, a collection of some of the best, covers themes from election campaigns to corruption. It's as relevant today as it was when it was published. Amazing.
January 31, 2021
Absolutely brilliant! The subtle humour is hilarious.
June 8, 2015
this was my first read of a cartoonist's book. it was a wonderful experience. the cartoons were so specific and natural that it strikes a chord with the reader. the cartoons were based on the common problems we face living in a developing country like India. this was beautifully captured with the image of the common man in the background of every drawing.
May 23, 2014
The best cartoonist of our country, best of his work and then this comes, the very best of the best cartoonist. How can one rate it less than the best of the rating!
Pure humor, amazing creativity and wonderful satire! Need one have to say more?
Pure humor, amazing creativity and wonderful satire! Need one have to say more?
July 28, 2016
An interesting book of the best cartoons by R.K.Laxman for the everyday newspaper. They make fun of various things that happens in politics, the economy, etc and at the same time make you think about what is wrong with them.
December 5, 2012
its laxman. its cartoon. it cannot be anything else but pure art n humor!a collectible
March 31, 2022
The most jarring feeling is the way the Common Man watches the scenes - bewildered and resigned. I am aware of the fact that I have been in such situations. It feels useless to reason in these situations.
The satirist cartoons will make most Indians relate to them. There is one change that I do see - the electricity is not going away with the sight of the first cloud. I see a lot more girls willing to study, and women, driven by the desire for financial independence. We still have a long way to go but the feeling of things better than a few gives hope.
The satirist cartoons will make most Indians relate to them. There is one change that I do see - the electricity is not going away with the sight of the first cloud. I see a lot more girls willing to study, and women, driven by the desire for financial independence. We still have a long way to go but the feeling of things better than a few gives hope.
January 29, 2017
The evergreen classic Laxman. The beauty of his work is that he can bring out the complexities and the satire in our everyday life so vividly by use of a single picture. A great artist and a political commentator- His work from even 50 years back is still relevant & fresh in today's India. Loved it.
February 1, 2022
One of my favourite curations. I needn't scavenge through old newspapers for the beloved illustrations anymore. Penguin has done it for me and I'm super grateful.
The Common Man is a gift from RK Laxman to his inspiration.
The Common Man is a gift from RK Laxman to his inspiration.
November 22, 2024
It's a classic collection of Laxman's comical satire. Sketches mostly revolve around satire on politics and how it mirages the Common man. His classic common man can be seen around in most sketches with his clueless presence and existence.
September 22, 2025
200-odd is a very small sample of RK Laxman's decades of artistic excellence, but each of the cartoons in this collection is a prime example of the gentle humour and wry resignation that made The Common Man so beloved as a witness to all those decades of Indian life and politics.
December 27, 2016
Dates on which the cartoons were originally Published, if provided would have made reading experience much better.
June 6, 2017
A very quick read that can be read end to end over a cup of coffee. Still, that short time was enough for the common man to teach me a lot more about India than some history books ever could.
July 16, 2017
Hand-picked creations of R.K. Laxman
December 31, 2017
Very Creative. still relevant .. and very funny.
December 22, 2018
Very funny collection of RK Laxman's cartoon ..
February 8, 2020
What's fun is that the strips are very much relatable to today's scenario.
August 15, 2020
A must read for all R.K Laxman fan.
December 28, 2024
Lovely to have this collection. I always loved the sataire depicted in common man and happy to have a copy that collectsost of them in a single place.
December 7, 2025
As an Indonesian, there are so many things I can relate to this book from the political point of view.
January 17, 2015
This book is a masterpiece from a master cartoonist,R K Laxman. These.These cartoons make you cry, laugh and above all,see the irony of common man's life.The villains as projected by Laxman are rising costs,inflation,poor managerial practices,poverty,long pending political issues,unscrupulous politicians and above all, most important, wrong priorities assigned in life by persons, politicians and everyone.
Published by Penguins in 2012,it has been hailed by TIME magazine "..What's common about this character is that like most Indians,he sees his country being forced through endless dignities by its leaders and doesn't even whimper in protest."
A must read for all who value common man's ironies,heartaches and endless struggles to meet both ends meets.
Published by Penguins in 2012,it has been hailed by TIME magazine "..What's common about this character is that like most Indians,he sees his country being forced through endless dignities by its leaders and doesn't even whimper in protest."
A must read for all who value common man's ironies,heartaches and endless struggles to meet both ends meets.
October 2, 2012
This books is collection of all the common man cartoons :) it reminds you of each of those mornings when you use to turn the pages to find a corner by RK Lakshman .. And which use to bring a smile on those faces with a cartoons of suffering common man ... Its a collection .. And must to have one
September 13, 2016
the humorous collection of cartoon sketches featuring the ever present 'common man' and focusing on the great many problems and situations faced by the average Indian and most of which are highly relevant even today.. a good read..
September 28, 2015
Loved this book for its humorously subtle observations in a common man's life. One could relate to almost every aspect in the book. Its also a reminder of how politics,religion and society have changed so little since they were observed by the great cartoonist!!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews