Guardian cartoon satirises reading habits with internet joke
The May 2026 illustration depicts a character abandoning a list of 100 best novels after the invention of the internet
The Guardian Opinion published a cartoon by the duo First Dog on the Moon on 29 May 2026. The artwork features a character who intended to read the remaining titles on a list of the 100 best novels but stopped after the invention of the internet.
The piece is part of the First Dog on the Moon series, which includes merchandise and prints available via The Guardian shop. The cartoon references a common cultural list of the "100 best novels" without specifying a particular canonical source.
The artwork includes the caption: "I was going to read all the others (they are still on my bedside table) but then they invented the internet". The original headline for the piece asks how many of the 100 best novels have been read and whether seeing the movies counts.
The cartoon is categorised under culture and policy in the cluster summary. The narrative relies on the colloquial notion of a singular "invention" of the internet, which is historically imprecise but serves as a humorous turning point in the artwork.
The source material does not identify a specific list of novels, only referring to a general list of the 100 best novels. The phrase "they invented the internet" is colloquial and imprecise, as the internet evolved over decades through multiple contributions.
Claims that the internet halted reading are satirical and should not be interpreted as causal historical analysis. The cartoon is a humorous opinion piece, not a factual report on reading habits or technological history.
The Guardian Opinion published the cartoon on 29 May 2026. The piece is part of an ongoing series available via The Guardian shop. The cartoon references a generic cultural canon of literature rather than a specific, identified list.