A Confederacy of Dunces

By: John Kennedy Toole

Narrated by: Barrett Whitener

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)

Why God made audio books.

What a wonderful experience! A delightful book and so expertly read. Listening to this book reminded me of something we used to call "radio". I've listned to many books and in this one each character was expertly rendered and captured.
And the story itself is captivating. It has humor galore and a bit of suspence as well. I fully agree with the opening narration that the loss of the author is a double tragegy: for his own death and for the world to lose any future books. I'd read more in a flash.

The funniest book I've listened to in a long time

You may not like this book if you are offended by ethnic stereotypes (Black, Catholic, Jewish, southern, police,intellectuals), but I found the book hilarious. The author skewers everyone including the police and the city of New Orleans. it is too bad this is his only book.

A more splendid bit of reading I shall ne'r hear

Barrett Whitener presents this work with such a thorough mastery that it must be truly love. From the first syllable Jones speaks, with a voice that must have been considered for long weeks before performing, he becomes real. I have an easy time voicing roles while reading, but I could never have imagined a more fully dimensioned character than the one iterated in this piece.

The voice acting is only enhanced by the fact that the text is also very good.

One of the best books ever written

Anyone familiar with New Orleans will immediately love it. Anyone not, will want to. Simply a fantastic story unlike any I have read. It will make you laugh, hoot, and ultimately shed a tear.

Great fun, but narrator drove me a little crazy

Loved the story and laughed out loud many times on my commute! My only challenge was with the narration. It might just be me, but Barrett's voice sounds computer generated. When he is doing the voices of the characters it's great, but any other time it sounds like a male Siri.

Overall I definitely recommend.

Good characters, but repetitive (more of the same)

There's a terrific book in there, but there's also a repetitive 40% that is no longer funny or interesting because it's just more of the same. I understand that it's more character studies than having much of a plot, but there was very little character growth or change, either. My favourite character was Myrna from New York, who I pictured in my mind as a younger Fran Leibowiz.

A Stand-Out Book, and Spot-on Narration

Any additional comments?

I read the book back in early 1980's, and now I have thoroughly enjoyed the audible version. What a wonderful job the narrator did of getting so many individual voices, sometimes in the same scene, and making them unique and enjoyable. The book captures many, maybe most, of the low-life New Orleans city living in the 1960's. I know because I lived there in the 1970's, and not much had changed. I have read a hundred reader reviews of this book, and the sum is this: if you like this sort of thing, then this is the sort of book you'll like. An anti-hero that has no redeeming qualities. A collection of characters all around him that are not much better. Even if you loathe the book, you'll come away with a feeling, "Well, I'm glad I'm not like THAT!" Just read it, it is one-of-a-kind.

Masterpiece of Absurdism

This book is a comedy masterpiece for those who enjoy satire. Sadly, satire seems to be lost on the masses and all but dead among younger generations.

I would not mind hearing it read by a different narrator, but the overall story is excellent.

Ignatius J Reilly is a loveably hateable character.

Decent Listen

Some pretty funny parts - not too spectacular - but it passed the time on the commute ok.

You have to read this!

This book is smart and funny. it paints a clear picture of New Orleans. this book could also be used in a class on disability studies or on the Civil Rights movement.