A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole (Penguin Classics)

Description

“A Confederacy of Dunces” is a novel written by John Kennedy Toole. The book was published posthumously in 1980, over a decade after the author’s death. It is a comedic and satirical novel set in New Orleans and follows the misadventures of its eccentric protagonist, Ignatius J. Reilly, a highly intelligent but socially awkward and lazy individual who lives with his overbearing mother.

The novel is known for its unique and memorable characters and its sharp social commentary. Ignatius, with his grandiose and outlandish beliefs, gets entangled in a series of absurd situations, which leads to a cascade of humorous events throughout the story.

John Kennedy Toole was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction posthumously in 1981 for “A Confederacy of Dunces,” and the novel has since become a cult classic in American literature, celebrated for its wit and its portrayal of the colorful and often bizarre characters of New Orleans.