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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.
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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.
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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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Summary: THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE BOOK!
Review: It all begins with a car accident, which forces our main character, Ignatius Reilly, to get a job, thus, his adventures begin. He is an obese and arrogant slob who is ready to criticize everyone and everything that he sees in the modern world. What he sees, he loathes, and he documents all of his observations or rants in his Big Chief Notebooks. He takes on a series of jobs where he wreaks havoc and irritates everyone he comes in contact with, especially his Mother. The only person who seems to share in his world view is his equally crazy girlfriend Myrna Minkoff who lives in New York and whom he keeps a running correspondence with. This book is hilarous and but it is also rather sad, because nobody really understands Ignatius except for Myrna, and I absolutely loved the ending, it was perfect. This is an incredible book that I highly recommend to anyone who is looking for the Great American Novel...because THIS IS IT!
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Summary: Great Book- Hilarious
Review: This is an excellent book and deffinitly deserves the pulitzer prize it was awarded. The book is funny and has many interesting plot twists that make you want to read on.My whole family read this book, from me-14 to my grandfather- 86 and we all enjoyed it. This book is a MUST READ
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Summary: world of dunces
Review: The world of Ignatius Reily is very erratic but it is easy to identify with him. You are going to hate him at too many places in the story, yet there is something genuine about him. He does the most awful kind of things, but you never know whether he is doing that intentionally, full mindedly, absent mindedly or it just a part of his highly intellectual mideval, semi-selfish almost unemployed negligent personality.Apart from Ignatius Reily, there are more characters in the novel that are very genuine. I believe that genuinity of the personages gives a lot of vitality to the story. It is amazing to see that this book was written almost 30 years ago, but it is still very modern and the situation of Ignatius is absolutely not unusual to see at the beginning of the 21st century. If you like to read a book in order to think read this. If you do like to read a book NOT to think you can also read this because readability and having fun with the story are warranted.
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Summary: The funniest thing I've ever read!
Review: I tried explaining to my friends as I read this book how funny it is, but I truly cannot do it justice. The only way for a person to understand how funny John Kennedy Toole's Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece is to read it for himself. The story revolves around the bumbling, egocentric, slob-like, wordy but intelligent Ignatius Reilly. The things that Ignatius said made me laugh out loud on countless occassions; I could just picture his lines being spoken in a movie and not being able to contain myself. Perhaps the book can best be summed up in Toole's own words -- "Goodness only knew what Reilly's personal life was like. One crazy incident after another, insanity upon insanity." Along this insane path that Ignatius constantly follows, the reader meets many other characters that are typical of New Orleans. The description of the French Quarter, Bourbon Street, and other areas is very fitting. The weakness to the story is the end. But Toole delivers some serious underlying messages in his work about 20th century society. Although many of Ignatius' ideas are absurd and satirical, I often found myself thinking that some of his ideas did make clear implications about the society we live in. The bottomline is this book is too funny not to read.
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Summary: Perhaps the most annoying protagonist in history
Review: There is very little to like about Ignatius J. Reilly. He believes he is always correct despite plenty of evidence to the contrary, his personal grooming and general behavior is blatantly anti-social, and he treats his confused mother horribly. He takes on a "Don Quixote" quality when attacking what he perceives as social injustice; usually making matters infinitely worse. Yet for all of this, you are compelled to finish this book about this very odd man, the particularly inept policeman whose actions start the book's action, a young man who is trapped in a modern form of slavery by events beyond his control, and a host of other New Orleans denizens who are all particularly bizarre but somehow very real. This work is a true original that probably could have used some editing ( some plotlines take far too long to develop); I don't know if I would categorize it as a classic, but it definitely shows an author who had talent and it is a shame that this is his only major work.
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Summary: This is a 'Keeper'
Review: The satirical genius of John Kennedy Toole will be sorely missed. A Confederacy of Dunces is sometimes hilarious, sometimes sad - but seldom boring (the exceptions being the over-long excerpts from Ignatius Reilly's diary). The contrast between the twisted mind of Ignatius (who is wonderfully characterized) and the secondary characters provides an interest in the main character that might otherwise be watered down. And yet the secondary characters are also real and provide a lively backdrop for Toole's book. There are also some serious underlying messages in 'Confederacy'. Exposing the perceived flaws of 20th century living being paramount, along with the author's political wisdoms The second half of the story slows down a bit after a pacey first half. Nonetheless, 'A Confederacy of Dunces' is one I shall take to my desert island with me, because it's a book which can be read time and again, just to enjoy the characters.
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Summary: An All-Time Classic
Review: One of the funniest books ever written! After reading it, you'll understand when people refer to the "Ignatius Filing System," as well as many other things. The book's only weakness is its abrupt ending, like Toole got tired of writing and just stopped. If you haven't read it, you should!
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