Pulitzer Prize Fiction Winner
A Confederacy of Dunces
by John Kennedy Toole
Summary
A picaresque comic novel set in 1960s New Orleans, following the obese, medievalist, perpetually outraged Ignatius J. Reilly as he is forced into a series of disastrous jobs around the French Quarter. Toole's ear for dialect, eccentric supporting cast, and sustained farcical energy turn the city itself into a major character. The book has become a cult classic of American comic fiction.
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Historical Context & Significance
A tragic and famous win; Toole died by suicide 11 years before publication. His mother tirelessly campaigned to get the book published, eventually succeeding with the help of author Walker Percy.