A Confederacy of Dunces
by Toole, John Kennedy
- Used
- near fine
- Hardcover
- Condition
- Near Fine/VG-
- Seller
-
SANTA BARBARA, California, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1980. Author's only book. This printing, the 6th done one years after the first. Textblock tight and square. Brief, neat inscription by former owner on front endpaper. Boards clean with sharp tips. Price clipped jacket has 1 1/2" chip at top of rear panel, shallow chip at head of spine and minor to moderate edgewear with some creasing. Winner of the Pulitzer prize. In mylar.. 6th Printing. Cloth. Near Fine/VG-. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.
Synopsis
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.
Read More: Identifying first editions of A Confederacy of Dunces
Reviews
On Dec 7 2004, Pazzo Books said:
One of the most built up novels of all time - while it didn't fall flat on its face by any means, the build up ruins it. Extremely funny at times, but impossibly uneven. If no one has ever told you it's the best book ever, give it a try.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Timothy Norlen Bookseller
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 006520
- Title
- A Confederacy of Dunces
- Author
- Toole, John Kennedy
- Format/Binding
- Hardcover
- Book Condition
- Used - Near Fine
- Jacket Condition
- VG-
- Edition
- 6th Printing
- Publisher
- Louisiana State University Press
- Place of Publication
- Baton Rouge
- Date Published
- 1980
- Size
- 8vo - over 7¾" - 9&f
- Bookseller catalogs
- Modern Classic Author's;
Terms of Sale
Timothy Norlen Bookseller
Books sent out within 24 - 48 hours upon receipt of order. Return guarantee, with full refund including original shipping costs for up to 15 days after delivery if an item arrives that is not as described.
About the Seller
Timothy Norlen Bookseller
Biblio member since 2019
SANTA BARBARA, California
About Timothy Norlen Bookseller
I am a internet based bookstore that specializes in Modern First Editions, film sources, Mystery and Detective fiction and Western Americana. I have approximately 10,000 books, primarily first editions with about 1300 of them signed by the author. I try and stock only books that are sound, clean and attractive.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Price Clipped
- When a book is described as price-clipped, it indicates that the portion of the dust jacket flap that has the publisher's...
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
- Tight
- Used to mean that the binding of a book has not been overly loosened by frequent use.
- Jacket
- Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
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