Rating: 
Summary: Flawed, but unique
Review: Some of the other reviewers on this page have remarked on the book's ending as one of its strengths. Quite the contrary, I found the end to be flawed, which is why the book loses one star from me. After such an uncompromising look at the dysfunctional world of Ignatius J. Reilly and his utter inability to cope with the modern world, I felt that the finale was the literary equivalent of the feel-good ending that has been tacked on to a film that has not tested well at advance screenings. Given what had gone before, I really didn't see how Ignatius could end up anywhere but a mental hospital. This is not to impugn John Kennedy Toole's honesty as a writer. Given the fact that Toole committed suicide before his book saw publication--according to Walker Percy's introduction, it would probably never have been published had his mother not shopped it around after his death--I wonder how much Toole himself was like Ignatius; it may be that giving his story a hopeful ending was his way of encouraging himself as well. I was also put off by the over-the-top stereotyping of the gay characters.The above-mentioned reservations notwithstanding, this is a remarkable work of black humor; although I laughed frequently, I was also struck by the real pain in these characters' lives. A very unique reading experience.
Rating: 
Summary: Compelling, Delightfully Funny, Wonderfully Written!
Review: Ignatius P. Reilly is an arrogant, overweight, flatulent bachelor who lives with his mother in New Orleans. Ignatius and the various wacky characters who people these pages spring to life as they wind their way through this delightful adventure. Ignatius is the type of person one usually avoids after making his acquaintance. However, after reading this wonderful book, it's difficult not to have a soft spot in one's heart for him. It's paradoxical, and indicative of the greatness of this work, that it can make such a motley crew of misfits and their antics so compelling.
The hallmark of this book, which won a well-deserved Pulitzer Prize, is sparkling dialogue, unrestrained wit, unbridled humor, and engaging characters who come to life. The musings of Ignatius both mortify and amuse, and his antics are at once repellant and hilarious. What a terrible shame that this author committed suicide at the age of 32, and this one book was published after his death. Highly recommended!
Rating: 
Summary: curiously in the middle
Review: I found this book to be quite a let-down given the Pulitzer Prize and a scan of the reviews here. The army of rabid fans would apparently decry me as not 'getting it' and of being some bland personage unable to appreciate the genius of Toole. On the contrary, I did find it very funny in parts, even laughing out loud. I am certain that some of the characters and situations will stand out vividly in my mind for some time to come. For me, this was not sufficient to make it great literature, nor did I even find it nearly as funny as, say, Catch-22 or White Noise. There is really only one note here, one tone and one basic set of jokes played out again and again. The characters are caricatures given the same types of lines, observations, and actions again and again - Jones' smoke clouds, Miss Trixie's 'snarls' once she gets her new teeth - and the only one I really cared about that much was Jones. The lack of a strong plot didn't help me care any more, either. The book doesn't build to anything. I felt no different upon finishing it than I would at the end of a Seinfeld re-run. And I'd like a little something more out of my time investment...
Rating:
Summary: Amazing showing of modern literature!
Review: I could not help but read nearly 50 pages at least upon every sitting while reading this book. Absolutely amazing. So many side stories, twist and turns, that, in the end, comlpletely fall together in a most amazing way. This book is truly a representation of modern literature at its best. Set in New Orleans, this book is a story of an intelligent man lost in a world of confusion and ignorance whose mishaps seem to effet everyone in the area. So many things are involved that cause the reader to never lose interest. Absolutely amazing. I laughed out loud on several occations. This book is filled with comedy, sorrow, and best of all, great writing. You will become lost in this world of the main character Ignatius J. Reilly, and feel the way he does. I even found myself talking like him in conversations after reading. This book is all the hope needed for modern literature. Truly a book that must be read.
Rating:
Summary: It Really is That Good
Review: This might be the most satisfying read I've ever had. Funny and sad and vivid, and with a perfect ending. Read this book now!
Rating:
Summary: My new favorite book, HANDS DOWN!
Review: I very rarely give a book a rating of a five. You've got to be PERFECT to get a rating of 5 from me. That being said, I regret that I am only able to give this book 5 stars, and not 6! I snatched up this book at Borders one day, knowing nothing about the background. I didn't have a clue that it was awarded a Pulitzer until I read the cover a little closer. At any rate, this marvelous book pulled me into the story in a way that very few others have been able to. It is keeping "Catch 22" and "THe Sound and the Fury" company on my shelf of books I read at least once a year. Rehashing what I thought of the book could never do it justice. Ignatius is one of the most complex characters I have ever had the privledge of reading. That being said, the book is not at all pretentious and not at all "artsy fartsy" as some Pulitzer Prize novels are. I was expecting more heavy, intense reading that would take me a month or so to complete. This book is a page turner all the way. I would recommend this book to anyone.
Rating:
Summary: Comedic Tragedy
Review: I bought this book in an airport simply because I'm working my way through all of the Pulitzer Prize winners and needed a good read for poolside relaxation. I didn't expect to be laughing out loud every few minutes as I shared in the antics of Ignatius Reilly. I experienced pure joy in the deep belly laughs the book gave me - all the while feeling pity for the main character. Comedy and tragedy is a wonderful mix for healthier living through reading. This one will be a permanent fixture in my library.
Rating:
Summary: The Greatest...
Review: The greatest American novel of the last half of the twentieth century. I've read it several times. I'll read it many more. One of the funniest books I have ever read, the sad part is that Toole committed suicide when he couldn't find a publisher. It eventually won the Pullitzer Prize. The anti-hero Ignatius Reilly wanders through the New Orleans Quarter in the sixties into and out of various absurd situations that all transpire into a set of hilarious coincidences. The machinations of the -slightly- more normal characters are all advanced or undermined as the incomparable Ignatius undertakes his own bizarre schemes. Sometimes almost poignantly sad, yet consumed by hilarity, this book is one of the Great American Novels.
Rating:
Summary: Like an old friend.
Review: Have you ever found a book that you re-read every few years and see in a new light each time? This is one of those books. O'Toole shows an almost Einsteinian genius for seeing the same people, things and events quite differently through the eyes of his different characters. To Jones, Ignatius is "that green-cap, fat mother." To Mrs. Levy, he's "the young idealist." To patrolman Mancuso, he's "a suspicious character." To Lana Lee, he's "a threat to her investment." To the aspiring exotic dancer Darlene, he's "the big crazyman." To his long suffering mother, he's the perfect son (for a while, anyway). To sweet Santa Battaglia, he's "that Ignatius." To himself, of course, he's the last word on "decency and geometry." What O'Toole pulls off, amazingly, is to present each view in a convincing, believable way. (Given the plain craziness of this book, that in itself is an accomplishment.) The comedy, absurdity and sheer lunacy of the scenes, events and dialogue in this book are brilliant: Ignatius' letter to Abelman's Dry Goods ("Mr. I. Abelman, Mongoloid, Esq...If you molest us again, sir...Yours in Anger..."); Jones' running commentary ("Hey!...Whoa!...Oo-wee"); Darlene's careful practice for her big opening night ("There sure was plenty balls at that ball..."); Ignatius' take on the nude photo of Darlene reading Boethius ("Some destitute woman intellectual was doing anything for a dollar."); Santa's compassion and way with words ("Get the hell away from that stove Charmaine and go play on the banquette before I bust you right in the mouth...Lord,them kids is sweet...Charmaine! Get the hell outside and go play on your bike before I come slap your face off.") There is so much here. Despite the obvious comedy, there is a serious side here, too, that's hard to put your finger on. Walker Percy's Foreward says of the book, "It is also sad. One never quite knows where the sadness comes from...." True enough. I'm hardly the first to say you will either love it or hate it. In any event, simply the number of reviews here tells you it's no ordinary work.
Rating:
Summary: Hysterical..
Review: A Confederacy of Dunces is one of the best books I've ever read. It's a brilliant, completely hysterical study of alienation and the absurdities of 20th century existence. I could not put this book down--I finished it the day after I started it, breaking only because of physical necessity. The reviewers who claim that it drags probably didn't understand some of the subtleties. A must read.
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