A Confederancy of Dunces

by John Toole

Genres: Fiction

Paperback

Reviews

[Crini · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an unique reading. I am stil unsure of how I perceive this book: loved it at times, worried me at other, made me wonder how I got to it, but made me laugh most of the time.
The characters are in most cases some outliers and most of the situations quite ridiculous, nevertheless, the book got under my skin.
In other conditions, I would have eagerly waited for the next book of the author to decide: do I love or hate his writting style and this kind of prose, but this is obviously out of the question here.
Still not sure how I ended up having this title on my reading list, and equally puzzling, not 100% sure even I understand the reactions this book created.

[Kyla Sikorski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this for a book club selection. Not sure if it’s a cultural thing, but I did not enjoy this book. I am not from New Orleans.
A lazy man still lives with his mom, gets a Master’s degree and refuses to work. His mom is at her wits end dealing with a louse of a son. She gets into a car accident, runs into a building and needs $1,020 to not go to court.
She forces her son to get a job - first at a pants company where he deals with filing by throwing it away and forging letters in his boss’s name, and then starts a riot getting the black employees to protest their low wages. He gets fired.
He gets another job pushing around a hot dog cart. He gets fired from that too.
Undercover police, old people spouting communism, gay parties, strip clubs with watered down booze and a dancer with an attack bird, plus pornography targeted at high schoolers. He ends up on the front page and the shame sends his mom to send for the mental hospital to send for him. He escapes with a woman he fights in letters and phone calls.
This may have been funny if it was half as long. I was reading and listening to the book at the same time. I fell asleep for large parts and I don’t think I missed much. I agree with Dorian Green, “Do you ever shut up?”

[Graciela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't laughed this hard in a long time. This novel is more to it than meets the eye. Under its apparent foolishness and ridiculous situations hide a variety of characters that you love and hate at the same time. Unfortunately, there will be no sequel.

[Lisa Wild · Rating 3 out of 5]

The protagnist was such an unlikable character that it was hard to like the book, although the fact that the author could create such an unlikable character that still seemed to gather the reader's attention seemed like an amazing literary accomplishment.

[Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was so hard to finish because it’s my first time to read a book that made me hate the protagonist so much, but I guess that was the intention of the author. Kudos to him still because it’s a very interesting approach to a novel.

[Bryan Noko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haven’t laughed out loud reading a book in a while and this book was able to do the job. Ignatius is such an interesting character who can best be described as the bastard offspring of a Reddit Mod and Don Quixote.
- Zorro

[Chelsea Errington · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not my favorite book but recommended by someone i love dearly, so thought i’d give it a try.

[Robin Santee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is by far the funniest book I have ever read!

[Jillian Liddicoat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quirky thought-provoking book

[Monica Penalba · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a hard book to read. You love it and hate it at the same time. But it is unique.