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A Confederacy of Dunces
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A Confederacy of Dunces Hardcover - 2000

by John Kennedy Toole


About this book

A Confederacy of Dunces is a picaresque novel written by John Kennedy Toole, published in 1980, 11 years after the author died by suicide at the age of 31. The book was published through the efforts of writer Walker Percy (who also contributed a revealing foreword) and Toole's mother, Thelma Toole. In 1981, it won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, granting posthumous recognition to John Kennedy Toole. The novel has since gained a cult following and is celebrated as a classic of American literature.

Set in New Orleans during the 1960s, A Confederacy of Dunces revolves around the eccentric and socially awkward protagonist, Ignatius J. Reilly. Ignatius is an obese, unemployed, highly educated man who lives with his overbearing mother.

The novel follows Ignatius as he navigates various misadventures, often clashing with the world around him due to his pompous intellect and disdain for modern society. Ignatius is a self-proclaimed philosopher and writer who spends most of his time writing in his ever-present journal, "The Journal of a Working Boy," where he criticizes the world's perceived injustices.

Ignatius's life takes an unexpected turn when his mother forces him to find a job to contribute to their finances. His misadventures in the working world lead him to cross paths with a colorful cast of characters, including his eccentric employer, a former girlfriend, a politically active barmaid, a black prostitute, and a policeman who becomes obsessed with exposing Ignatius's alleged communist activities.

The novel's humor lies in the absurd situations, ironic dialogue, and the juxtaposition of Ignatius's intellectual pretensions with the realities of his daily life. Through Ignatius's escapades, the novel explores themes of societal conformity, alienation, and the clash between traditional values and modernity.


From the publisher

Toole's novel introduces one of the most memorable characters in American literature, Ignatius Reilly. Ignatius' ire explodes when his mother backs into an automobile. The owner of the damaged vehicle insists on payment; and Mrs. Reilly demands that her son stop watching T.V.

First line

A green hunting cap squeezed the top of the fleshy balloon of a head.

First Edition Identification

The first edition of A Confederacy of Dunces was published by Louisiana State Univ Press in 1980. Only 2,500 true first editions were printed, with 1980 on title page, and copyright page without additional printings stated. The first issue dust jacket has a Walker Percy blurb on the rear panel. 


Details

  • Title A Confederacy of Dunces
  • Author John Kennedy Toole
  • Binding Hardcover
  • Edition Limited Edition
  • Pages 338
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Louisiana State University Press, Baton Rouge
  • Date October 2000
  • Large Print Yes
  • ISBN 9780807126073 / 0807126071
  • Weight 2.1 lbs (0.95 kg)
  • Dimensions 9.8 x 6.8 x 1.54 in (24.89 x 17.27 x 3.91 cm)
  • Reading level 800
  • Library of Congress subjects Humorous stories, Young men - Fiction
  • Library of Congress Catalog Number 79020190
  • Dewey Decimal Code FIC