A Confederacy of Dunces

A Confederacy of Dunces is the comedic, classic Louisiana novel written by the New Orleans native John Kennedy Toole. We read this for my "funsies" Louisiana Lit class. As it turns out, Toole once taught English at my college, so I suppose it isn't surprising that we studied it, and the rumor is that Ignatius was inspired in part by my English professor.

Confederacy, which has a huge cast of characters, is centered around the gargantuan "intellectual snob" that is Ignatius Reilly. Ignatius can be infuriating and horrible, but he's also a riot. Ignatius, who has a Masters degree in Medieval history in a time when most people were lucky to finish high school, dresses like a hobo and lives with his mother. There isn't much he can tolerate of society, and sometimes his disgust is hilarious for it's irony. All is well in Ignatius' miserable little life, until... his poor sweet mother gets into an accident and causes a lot of damage that can only be paid off when Ignatius *gasp!* Gets. A. JOB.

Confederacy of Dunces is a hilarious novel - it's got something for everyone: high and low brow humor. It isn't often that I read a novel that makes me laugh out loud, and it also isn't often that people will stop me to talk about the book I'm reading, but isn't it so delightful when that does happen?
I really think this is a book everyone should read - or try to read, at least - though it isn't for everyone. The only way you can find out if it's for you, though, is to read it. Right?