A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
The novel is a comedic satire set in New Orleans in the early 1960s, centered around Ignatius J. Reilly, a lazy, eccentric, highly educated, and socially inept man who still lives with his mother. Ignatius spends his time writing a lengthy philosophical work while working various jobs and avoiding the responsibilities of adulthood. The story follows his misadventures and interactions with a colorful cast of characters in the city, including his long-suffering mother, a flamboyant nightclub owner, a beleaguered factory worker, and a frustrated hot dog vendor.
The 173rd greatest book of all time
- Published
- 1980
- Nationality
- American
- Type
- Fiction
- Pages
- 300-400
- Words
- 121,000
- Original Language
- English
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This book is on the following lists:
- 3rd on Quintessential American Fiction, According to the Rest of the World (Literary Hub)
- 4th on As if You Don't Have Enough to Read, Fiction Edition (New York Times)
- 5th on The Ideal Library (Book)
- 12th on The Best Southern Novels of All Time (Oxford American)
- 15th on Koen Book Distributors Top 100 Books of the Past Century (themodernnovel.com)
- 24th on The 500 best books of all time from Culture Café users (Culture Café)
- 43rd on Entertainment Weekly's Top 100 Novels (Entertainment Weekly)
- 49th on Our Users' Favorite Books of All Time (The Greatest Books Users)
- 100 Novels That Shaped Our World (BBC)
- 50 Best Cult Books (Telegraph)
- The Modern Library: The Two Hundred Best Novels in English Since 1950 (The Modern Library (Book))
- 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read (The Guardian)
- 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die (The Book)
- What Is the Best Work of American Fiction of the Last 25 Years? (New York Times)
- The 80 Books Every Man Should Read (Esquire)
- The 100 Greatest American Novels, 1893 – 1993 (Jeff O'Neal at Bookriot.com)
- Best Books Ever (bookdepository.com)
- Select 100 (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee)
- The Great American Read (PBS)
- Pulitzer Prize for Fiction (Pulitzer Prize)