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A Confederacy of Dunces
by John Kennedy Toole
- Used
- near fine
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- Near Fine/Good
- ISBN 10
- 0807106577
- ISBN 13
- 9780807106570
- Seller
-
Lynchburg, Virginia, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Stated 5th printing.
Book is in Near Fine condition. Prior owner name written in pen on front endpaper. Couple of spots on page fore edge. Pages otherwise clean and tight.
Dust jacket is in Good condition, with corners bumped/rubbed, some chipping. Now in Brodart dust jacket protector.
Synopsis
A Confederacy of Dunces is a picaresque novel written by John Kennedy Toole, published in 1980, 11 years after the author died by suicide at the age of 31. The book was published through the efforts of writer Walker Percy (who also contributed a revealing foreword) and Toole's mother, Thelma Toole. In 1981, it won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, granting posthumous recognition to John Kennedy Toole. The novel has since gained a cult following and is celebrated as a classic of American literature. Set in New Orleans during the 1960s, A Confederacy of Dunces revolves around the eccentric and socially awkward protagonist, Ignatius J. Reilly. Ignatius is an obese, unemployed, highly educated man who lives with his overbearing mother. The novel follows Ignatius as he navigates various misadventures, often clashing with the world around him due to his pompous intellect and disdain for modern society. Ignatius is a self-proclaimed philosopher and writer who spends most of his time writing in his ever-present journal, "The Journal of a Working Boy," where he criticizes the world's perceived injustices. Ignatius's life takes an unexpected turn when his mother forces him to find a job to contribute to their finances. His misadventures in the working world lead him to cross paths with a colorful cast of characters, including his eccentric employer, a former girlfriend, a politically active barmaid, a black prostitute, and a policeman who becomes obsessed with exposing Ignatius's alleged communist activities. The novel's humor lies in the absurd situations, ironic dialogue, and the juxtaposition of Ignatius's intellectual pretensions with the realities of his daily life. Through Ignatius's escapades, the novel explores themes of societal conformity, alienation, and the clash between traditional values and modernity.
Read More: Identifying first editions of A Confederacy of Dunces
Reviews
On Dec 7 2004, Pazzo Books said:
One of the most built up novels of all time - while it didn't fall flat on its face by any means, the build up ruins it. Extremely funny at times, but impossibly uneven. If no one has ever told you it's the best book ever, give it a try.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Givens Books
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 20072
- Title
- A Confederacy of Dunces
- Author
- John Kennedy Toole
- Book Condition
- Used - Near Fine
- Jacket Condition
- Good
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN 10
- 0807106577
- ISBN 13
- 9780807106570
- Publisher
- Louisiana State University Press
- Place of Publication
- Baton Rouge
- Date Published
- 1980
- Keywords
- confederacy of dunces, fiction, novel, classics, first edition, 5th printing, comic, satire
- Bookseller catalogs
- Classics;
Terms of Sale
Givens Books
Books returned on case-by case basis only. No refund on shipping charges.
About the Seller
Givens Books
Biblio member since 2006
Lynchburg, Virginia
About Givens Books
Givens Books & Little Dickens is a family business that has been selling new, used, and rare books in Lynchburg, Virginia since 1976, and educational toys and teacher supplies since 1989. Our used book department strives to provide quality books on a wide variety of subjects. We also specialize in our local Lynchburg and Virginia history.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
- Fore Edge
- The portion of a book that is opposite the spine. That part of a book which faces the wall when shelved in a traditional...
- Chipping
- A defect in which small pieces are missing from the edges; fraying or small pieces of paper missing the edge of a paperback, or...
- Jacket
- Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...
- Brodart
- Generally used to refer to a clear plastic cover that is sometimes added to the dustjacket or outside covering of a book. The...
- Tight
- Used to mean that the binding of a book has not been overly loosened by frequent use.
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