A Confederacy of Dunces
John Kennedy Toole
Your comments
A Confederacy of Dunces is captivating to me. I've
read it twice and think of this book often. The voice of Ignatius
is so laugh-out-loud funny. I also sense a painful sorrow
in the character of Ignatius Reilly. I also read his biography
and found it fascinating. John truly is reflected in Ignatius.
I find myself unable to articulate what draws me to this book.
I love the writing - the voice of the characters, the depth
of sadness I felt for Ignatius. I would love to see this book
made into a movie if it can be handled in the right way. The
only actor I picture playing the role of Ignatius is John
Candy (spelling?). John Candy was a beautiful actor and person.
I don't know who else could play the role of Ignatius. I do
hope somebody takes this book on to a movie.
I absolutely adore the realism and (not so) simple power
of this novel. The humor is both understated and latent; this
is one of my favorite books.
It is one of the great novels of the 20th century. some of
it rings the anti-psychiatric theme of "one flew over
the cuckoo's nest" but lacks its paranoia and oppressiveness.
toole's melancholy, his "grotesque realism" (bachtin),
the unique feeling of baroque anarchy he has given his hero
were too much for the average 1960's mainstream US-editors.
Can anyone explain ignatius' worldview in A Confederacy
of Dunces?
Read this book at least 5 times--still have it. often wondered
Why it was never made into a movie!
I'm lucky the movie is coming after my third reading: the
book is masterly phanopoietic, thus a film in itself.
What has happened to everyone? this book is awful. this is
the worst writing I have ever seen. Pulitzer prize??
I don't understand. This is not writing. It is drivel.
DRIVEL? You must be a Jackie Collins reader. This book is
amazing! I have bought no less than 15 copies and have given
them as gifts. Not one person I have met did not fall into
love with Ignatius. A movie? Are you kidding? A movie would
only destroy this piece of art. But for you die hard movie
buffs--you will be pleased to know that Drew Barrymore has
bought the rights to film it and is currently under production.
Not novels are written to please the elitists' tastes and
are therefore not designed to raise our counciousness by pandering
societal issues with a formulaic character developement. Some
books are written just for our enjoyment. While the supercillious
prigs and the haughty high brows may up turn their noses in
reaction to this common book, the rest of us who can still
appreciate this uncommon comedy will benefit thereby. To this
day, A Confederacy of Dunces is the only book that
has caused be to laugh out loud. While I primarily enjoy classic
literature, this book struck me with its irresitible humor
and much needed hilarity.
In Ignatious J Reilly, Toole has created one of the most
poignant anti-heroes of American Literature.
This is one of the 3 funniest books I've ever read. I go
back to it every 5 years or so for a refresher and it's just
as funny every time. How anyone can say it's drivel is beyond
me.
David Benson
I met Walker Percy in the early '70s. I read the Movie Goer.
Later I saw Walker Percy again at a writers conference and
he mentioned A Confederacy of Dunces. I bought the
book and read. Anti-hero. Most books succeed with a glorious
Protaginist (hero). I reread the book a few years ago. And
with what is happening in New Orleans now the book came to
mind. Reading the comments here, I do wonder however, if the
book would have been as successful if John Kennedy Toole had
lived and not committed suicide while in the in the depths
of despair.
JT
The book is vastly overrated. Were he here today and asked
me whether he should consider committing suicide, I would
have to give him the go ahead to do it. This self-consciously
written book is essentially the author sitting around pontificating
in a thoroughly predictable way. So John Kennedy Toole, wherever
you are, I want to say you did the right thing. And Walker
Percy, wherever you are, I think you did the WRONG thing.
The book is publishable simply because there are many worse
books than this one. I almost think the Percy hounding by
Toole's mother is part of the story. I was hounded by a friend
to read this for years. And I finally did. I haven't had the
heart to tell him what a piece of crap I thought it was. I'm
trying to figure out where it stands vis-a-vis Radcliffe
Hall's The Well of Loneliness, another putrid effort that
has set a very low standard.
Mike Rice
I thought the first 30 pages were a drag, but the remainder
were the funniest novel I'd ever come across. I suspect that
those who do not like the book are simply annoyed that anyone
like Ignatius J. Reilly should ever demand a reader's attention.
It would be so much nicer (they probably suppose) if we could
all agree that Ignatius is mentally ill and should be shut
up in an asylum forever and ever.
Margot Sheehan
Why is this book funny? Is there an underlying theme I am
missing? Or is the sheer image of a gluttonous boy-man in
a green hat in New Orleans high cultured enough to evoke hilarity?
I think Ayn Rand had it right - the few tell us what to think.(without
knowing why!) So far drivel gets my vote.
Matt Connor
I started on COD last summer as preparation for a family
vacation to New Orleans (a few weeks before Katrina visited).
The hotel we stayed in is adjacent to the D.H. Holmes building,
so I was unexpectedly and pleasantly surprised to come face-to-face
with Ignatius on the first day. His statue is in front of
the D.H. Holmes building!
I've just finished reading Ignatius Rising, a biography
of John Toole. The story of Toole's life is more interesting
than the book. His lifestory and the book's lifestory are
no doubt major reasons for selecting it for a Pulitzer Prize.
If I were the writer of the screenplay, I'd attempt a story
about Toole which incorporated elements of the book.
The book does for New Orleans what Midnight in the Garden
of Good and Evil did for Savannah and what the movie Fargo
did for (to?) those poor, cold people in North Dakota. It
put on display the quirkiness of a not-too-well-known area
of the country in a specific era through some amazing and
unforgetable characters.
I just thought of an English example of this type of travel/expose
book -- the All Creatures Great and Small series by James
Herriot (pen name). Who can forget those unique people of
Depression-era Yorkshire?
EB
This is absolutely my most favorite book. But I have to say
that all of the comments I've heard regarding the book are
a little off. The preface of the book, by Walker Percy, states
emphatically that in order to honor the beauty then we must
share.
I have given away at least 10 copies of it. I am in need
of a copy myself right now.
Jim
My son recommended I read this. Started it, but it lost me.
Then, my reading group selected it so I dug it out and tried
again. Probably unfair to comment since I am only one-third
the way through, but sense that it will be more of the same.
I DO like it, but don't love it. Before taking the time to
look up JKT's bio I kept thinking: the voice of Ignatius sounds
so much like Tennessee Williams! And I don't just mean Blanche
railing against the "apes" of modernity, I mean his actual
voice. Have you ever heard or seen a taped interview with
him? He is the very soul of Ignatius. Upon learning of his
overbearing mother and the circumstances of his upbringing
I cannot avoid thinking that the two of them are soul brothers,
or, that JKT was channeling TW. God, I hope he wasn't just
giving him back to us in another form. Anyway, that's my reaction.
Robin Huber
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