A Confederacy of Dunces

By: John Kennedy Toole

Narrated by: Barrett Whitener

Length: 13 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize

“A masterwork . . . the novel astonishes with its inventiveness . . . it is nothing less than a grand comic fugue.”—The New York Times Book Review

A green hunting cap squeezed the top of the fleshy balloon of a head. The green earflaps, full of large ears and uncut hair and the fine bristles that grew in the ears themselves, stuck out on either side like turn signals indicating two directions at once. Full, pursed lips protruded beneath the bushy black moustache and, at their corners, sank into little folds filled with disapproval and potato chip crumbs.

So enters one of the most memorable characters in recent American fiction.

The hero of John Kennedy Toole's incomparable, Pultizer Prize–winning comic classic is one Ignatius J. Reilly, an obese, self-absorbed, hapless Don Quixote of the French Quarter, whose half-hearted attempts at employment lead to a series of wacky adventures among the lower denizens of New Orleans. This book has become an American comic masterpiece.

©1980 Thelma D. Toole (P)1997 Blackstone Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"Barrett Whitener strikes just the right note." (AudioFile)
"A Confederacy of Dunces has been reviewed almost everywhere, and every reviewer has loved it. For once, everyone is right." (Rolling Stone)
"What a delight, what a roaring, rollicking, footstomping wonder this book is! I laughed until my sides ached, and then I laughed on." (Chicago Sun-Times)

Great Book

I was recommended this book by my uncle and I was not disappointed. This is the 5th time reading/listening to it. Love the theatrical voicing in this audio book; makes everything all the better.

hilarious but outdated

To appreciate this book, you have to keep reminding yourself it was written in the 1960s. Stereotypes of Blacks, women, and the aged are prevalent -- at the same time, those characters are vital to the story (Jones, Miss Trixie, Irene). I put off reading this for a long time but glad I finally did. There's a good reason it won a Pulitzer!

Hysterical!

This is the funniest book I ever read. I am from New Orleans and The references to the city's streets, landscapes and culture are spot on!

Brilliant narration

The writing is witty but the narration is what brings it to life, Doubt i would have enjoyed it as much reading the book as I did listening to it.

hilarious

fun and eccentric novel with a slew of great characters. something else indeed! !

The character of Ignatius is ingenious

Toole's Ignatius J. Riley is ingenious as portrayed by Barrett Whitener. Overall, the book was in my bottom 10%. I can't imagine persevering through the print version.

Ageless (funny) study of human nature

Everyone and everything fits in this book, it is A++ writing. It is also humanly profound, as each character is true. Especially remarkable is the immature, Peter Pan like hero, who cannot except to grow-up.

Amazing dialog and reading, slow plot

One can tell this was from an amazing mind and the situations and dialog imagined are fantastic. However the plot is quite sluggish and plodding and in need of editing to bring about more pacing. Comes with the territory of this work. A unique experience and telling. The wonderful actor/performer does a great job with all the voices and wit.

Great story of the worst people

A great funny story of all the characters you hate to have to spend time with. Lots of old crude language that could be offensive to some but are very true to the time and setting and did not detract from the story.

entertaining!

Read this year's ago and wanted to hear it on Audible. it didn't disappoint. What a bunch of characters. you could see them living in New Orleans. What fun! Good job, Narrator.