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A Confederacy of Dunces  By  cover art

A Confederacy of Dunces

By: John Kennedy Toole
Narrated by: Barrett Whitener
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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)

What listeners say about A Confederacy of Dunces

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • M
  • 05-11-16

My favorite book, butchered.

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

The written version of this book is one of my all-time favorites, but the narrator of the audiobook simply ruins it.

How could the performance have been better?

The narrator was robotic and sucked the life out of the story.

Any additional comments?

I would love to see another version of this book (with a different narrator) on Audible.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent Narration

Excellent listen. Complex, wonder dialog, subtle social criticism and one of the best character creations. Barrett Whitener does a exceedingly good job of narration.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Weird but wonderful - a truly dark comedy.

This book is not for everyone but it is one everyone should read just once! It stays with you in interesting ways.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A wonderful book

This is a very entertaining book with a number of lessons. Great performance. For the second time I hated to finish it.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A fun read/listen that is very well written

I didn't know what to expect when I started this book. It kept me captivated and entertained for the duration. What a tragedy that John Kennedy Toole ended his career on this note.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

One Great Listen & Reader!

What a great diversion from the news from Irag, the latest political scandal or the evening news. A great listen and chock full of humor against the foibles of human nature. Set in the early 70's with a cast of characters that are a blend from the likes of Bob & Ray and early Mad Magazine. The reader adds greatly to the enjoyment. I laugh aloud during my morning walks. Well worth a try, especially at the price. I rate it 4.5 stars. John T. W., Ohio, wagnernd

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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  • K
  • 11-01-15

Brilliant

This is one of the best novels I have ever read. Performance was fantastic.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Excellent story and voice characterizations!

Would you consider the audio edition of A Confederacy of Dunces to be better than the print version?

Whitener does an excellent job of bringing very unique characters to life. Thoroughly enjoyed this version.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Jones. His attitude and his responses to his situation, as well his unique use of language were the best part of the story.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

EXELENT!!

Great story and the narration is fantastic!!! I highly recommend this book, amazing narrator.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Oh St. Ignatius where art thou?

Upon finishing I could feel the ennui all around me, his ghost haunts the world this book exposes. So good. Save me too Miss Siren Minx!

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