The ordinary folk of New Orleans seem to think he is unhinged as well. Ignatius ignores them as he heaves his vast bulk through the city's fleshpots in a noble crusade against vice, modernity and ignorance. But his momma has a nasty surprise in store for him. Ignatius must get a job. Undaunted, he uses his new-found employment to further his mission - and now he has a pirate costume and a hot-dog cart to do it with ...
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Editorial Reviews
About the Author
John Kennedy Toole was born in New Orleans in 1937. He received a master's degree in English from Columbia University and taught at Hunter College and at the University of Southwestern Louisiana. He wrote A Confederacy of Dunces in the early sixties and tried unsuccessfully to get the novel published; depressed, at least in part by his failure to place the book, he committed suicide in 1969. It was only through the tenacity of his mother that her son's book was eventually published and found the audience it deserved. His long-suppressed novel The Neon Bible, written when he was only sixteen, was eventually published as well. A Confederacy of Dunces won the 1981 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The funniest book I've ever read,
By Hibiscus Queen "Ars gratia artis" (Florida) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Confederacy of Dunces (Penguin Modern Classics) (Paperback)
I've read this masterpiece many times since it was published and, each time, I laugh out loud as if I were reading it for the first time. The characters are sterling, the plotting flawless and the writing witty. From its first description of Ignatius waiting for his momma outside the D.H. Holmes store to its conclusion--every loose end tied into as thick a braid as Ms. Minkoff's hair--this book is a priceless treasure.
11 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Terrific Novel,
By
This review is from: Confederacy of Dunces (Penguin Modern Classics) (Paperback)
I'm re-reading this novel for the second time. A Confederacy of Dunces reeks with irony, not in the least because the author, John Kennedy Toole, took his own life in part because of his inability to get the book published. The irony was that his mother persevered in showing his manuscript and the book was published and won a Pulitzer Prize. The book really is extremely funny. Toole had a fabulous ear for dialogue; he perfectly captures the way people in New Orleans spoke in the early 1960s. At that time most of the people of Lousiana had a language that was unique. Here's an excellent argument against suicide-you honestly never know. Toole's suicide silenced his voice and denied us whatever other novels he might have produced. I'm grateful that we've got this one, but it's hard not to feel cheated. Anyway, anyone who's never read this book should grab it; it is a genuine classic. People will be reading this novel for a long time.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Funniest book ever written,
By Steve (Kentucky) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Confederacy of Dunces (Penguin Modern Classics) (Paperback)
I just bought this book for my college aged nephew for Christmas. I first read the book back in the eighties. Since that time I have passed it on, in one form or another, to dozens of people. All have enjoyed it immensely. My wife and I play a running game when we're out in public. We'll spot someone who is Myrna Minkoff, Santa Battaglia, or Ignatius. We are constantly patrolling for "suspicious characters." What an absolute hoot. If you have ever lived in or around New Orleans, it is even better.
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