Rating: 
Summary: Unusual and unforgettable
Review: The beauty of this book is not the self-delusional bombast of Ignatius O'Reilly, although the bombast is pure hilarity. The beauty is in the language and the imagery. American English hasn't been used so artfully in a century or so; it is flowery, floriferous, and florid. The imagery is so deceptive in its simplicity, one is amazed the technique isn't commonplace. Toole describes scenes as we would see them but would be unable to describe adequately. Finally, Toole presents a character (characters, actually) we know in others and in ourselves - in part, if not in sum. I borrowed this book, but I am buying my own copy. This is one of the rare books that demands rereading.
Rating:
Summary: Most true - the funniest book I know.
Review: This book refers to man's real problem: the digestive system. You can't have fun or feel good in any way if your valve is blocked. And it will certainly do so if you (have to) work too hard. Don't work - Shit - Life can be easy! Tough, that the author had to die for the publication of his opinion - but so had other heros and heroines in history.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful. Wonderous. And damn funny.
Review: When is the last time a book made you laugh out loud? Has one ever? Don't read this on a train, plane, or bus, unless you don't mind people looking at you, startled and suspicious, as you snigger and snort all by your lonesome. A truly amazing work. And the tragedy. Oh! The tragedy! We should weep for the loss of John Kennedy Toole
Rating:
Summary: "Oooh-Wee!"
Review: The funniest book, by far, that I have ever read. Mr Toole's genius runs rampant through every page.
Ignatius, mother with her wine in the oven, Jones
in a cloud of smoke working for minimal wage, Mancusco
sniffing and dripping in public toilets, and all the rest of these magical characters are a gift to humanity. Each time I read it, it gets better. The tragedy of Mr Toole's personal story is almost offset by the
scope of this brilliant work. I often give thanks
to Mrs. Toole for not giving up, and finally being
able to share her son's gift with the rest of us.
Rating:
Summary: Sense of humor, anyone?
Review: "Am I to believe that I am witnessing such a profusion of lethargic, inconsequential souls who feel as though the humor of this monumental novel is non-existent?"
Like Ignatius J. Reilly standing in front of the D.H. Holmes on Canal wearing a green cap, plaid shirt, and tweed trousers, some people just insist on being different. If you found this a dull, lifeless novel, you ARE different...and just plain weird! Perhaps a visit to your nearest "sense of humor" outlet store wouldn't be a bad idea.
This was probably the funniest novel a have read in my entire life. If I could have, I would have given it an eleven!
Rating:
Summary: A book you can taste, smell and especially hear...
Review: It grabs all your senses.I can still smell and almost taste Ignatius' boiling hot dogs and hear the nauseating squeek of his bedsprings. Toole sucked me fully into Ignatius' simultaneously funny, creepy and tragic life. I would follow Ignatius and his hot dog cart anywhere
Rating:
Summary: An original. Funny as hell.
Review: You will not confuse this book with anything else written. I read this book five or six months ago and still remember laughing so hard that tears flowed on the book soaking the pages and later forming a puddle in the floor. Precise language, great ear for dialogue, Kennedy ever so cynical makes fun of everybody, if you don't get it perhaps you humorless or are easily offended. By the way, I read somewhere that John Belushi planned to play Ignatius in the movie (yeah, what movie?) and that Kennedy wrote it while stationed in Puerto Rico. Read it
Rating: 
Summary: Bathroom humor
Review: I suppose this isn't the worst book I have ever put down half-read. But I can't imagine why anyone would waste their time or money on it. The "humor" is just boring and occasionally disgusting. If the sound of flatulence or the sight of ill-fitting trousers on an obese person drive you into paroxysms of laughter, this book is undoubtedly for you. If you're plagued by subtlety and taste, and your sense of humor admits the odd guilty pleasure, I suggest instead The Liar, by Stephen Fry: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=156947012
Rating: 
Summary: Decent, predictable story highlighted by descriptive dialog
Review: This tale of obese Ignatius Reilly, his mother, and his misadventures in New Orleans does not live up to its standard of being a hilarious book. The plot is good, but nothing spectacular: All the characters connected to Ignatius go about their unusual lives until a rather satisfying but predictable end that pretty much ties them all together. The clever dialog is what gives this book a lift. The extreme ends of the educated community are brought together, and their interactions work extremely well in keeping the story interesting. It is unfortunate that John Kennedy Toole is no longer with us, for this story shows tremendous potential
Rating:
Summary: Don't Believe the Hype!
Review: I read all the glowing reviews of this book,
people claiming to have laughed so hard they fell
out of their chairs, etc. Maybe it was built up
too much, but I have to say I didn't find it at
all funny. OK, Ignatius' journal entries were
mildly amusing, but not worth reading through all
the rest to figure out what he was talking about.
The characters are all such gross caricatures, by
the end I couldn't care less what happened to any
of them.
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