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A Confederacy of Dunces - 5th Printing
by John Kennedy Toole
- Used
- near fine
- Hardcover
- Condition
- Near Fine/Very Good or Better
- ISBN 10
- 0807106577
- ISBN 13
- 9780807106570
- Seller
-
Palm Desert, California, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Louisiana: Louisiana State University Press, 1980. Hardcover. Near Fine/Very Good or Better. Near fine in a very good or better unclipped ($12.95) dust jacket. 5th Printing. Front board soiled and top corner bumped. Jacket with chipping to the jacket spine ends extending to the first part of the front panel. Shelf wear to edges and wear to corners.
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.
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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
- James Graham, Bookseller, ABAA
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 8024
- Title
- A Confederacy of Dunces - 5th Printing
- Author
- John Kennedy Toole
- Format/Binding
- Hardcover
- Book Condition
- Used - Near Fine
- Jacket Condition
- Very Good or Better
- Quantity Available
- 1
- ISBN 10
- 0807106577
- ISBN 13
- 9780807106570
- Publisher
- Louisiana State University Press
- Place of Publication
- Louisiana
- Date Published
- 1980
- Pages
- 338
Terms of Sale
James Graham, Bookseller, ABAA
30 day return guarantee, with full refund including original shipping costs for up to 30 days after delivery for any reason.
About the Seller
James Graham, Bookseller, ABAA
Biblio member since 2017
Palm Desert, California
About James Graham, Bookseller, ABAA
Specializing in Modern First Editions, including many signed copies
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
- Soiled
- Generally refers to minor discoloration or staining.
- Shelf Wear
- Shelf wear (shelfwear) describes damage caused over time to a book by placing and removing a book from a shelf. This damage is...
- Jacket
- Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...
- Edges
- The collective of the top, fore and bottom edges of the text block of the book, being that part of the edges of the pages of a...
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
- 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...
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