When a true genius appears in the world,
you may know him by this sign, that the duncesare all in confederacy against him.
Jonathan Swift
While at the Book Festival in Austin this year we met several humorous authors who said their favorite book is A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole. Although John Kennedy Tool's book was turned down by publishers during his lifetime, it nevertheless went on to become a Pulitzer Price winner. Toole weaves his quirky characters, in and out of each other's lives. Each has their own form of New Orleans dialect and leading the pack is Ignatius Reilly. Reilly, prompted by a frustrated mother, has a succession of jobs, interspersed with journal writing. Slovenly and eccentric looking with a pompous attitude, disaster follows Ignatius around New Orleans (he has an aversion to leaving the town). Read a review here. Book Club questions here
