Confederacy of Dunces

[kingofsnake]

The college near me is having a book discussion on peter O'toole's Confederacy of Dunces. I kinda want to go because it was a pretty bitchin' book, but I haven't read it in like two years so I wont be able to contribute much more than "yeah, that dude loved hot dogs."

You guys think I should go? Have you read it? Anything I can say to look like I'm not a doofus?

[Jonathan Bogart]

First, I'd work on getting the author's name right. It's John Kennedy Toole. Peter O'Toole was an actor.

Other than that, I just sold my copy of the book without having read it (it was a hand-me-down), so I've got nothing.

[kingofsnake]

Oh snap!

I was so focused on not writing timothy o'toole (the fake name bart gave for the kid that fell down the well in the simpsons)

[Buzz Dixon]

I was never able to get more than halfway through CONFEDERACY OF DUNCES, but speaking of doofuses, I think Rick Altergot's DOOFUS covers the same territory only (for me, at least) far more entertainingly and in comic strip/gn form.

[Ontir]

I've not read either, but I've got a copy of P.J. O'Rourke's Parliament of Whores. I've not read that either.

[Ilash]

It's actually the last book I read. It's a great read though I'm not entirely convinced it lives up to its reputation. Hell, I don't even think it's the best book I've read this year - but then when one of those books are The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, that's to be expected. The main reason I liked it was because of just how original the main character was. He was basically a character completely without merit or any redeeeming qualities of any kind and it was just interesting seeing so much of the story through his eyes. The rest of the characters weren't nearly as interesting (though importantly, they were much more sympathetic) but there was still plenty of humour to come from the supporting cast - Jones and Miss Trixie especially.

[kingofsnake]

I was kinda luke warm about it too when I read it. But I read it at the same time as reading Jane Eyre (which is the best long book I've ever read).

I like the young black kid who didn't want to be picked up for vagrancy, he was by far my favorite character.

[Ilash]

I was kinda luke warm about it too when I read it. But I read it at the same time as reading Jane Eyre (which is the best long book I've ever read).

I like the young black kid who didn't want to be picked up for vagrancy, he was by far my favorite character.

Yup, that would be Jones. Definitely got the most amount of laughs from him - and with that N'warlins accent, everything he said was even funnier.

[Doomas]

It's a shame that John Kennedy O'Toole killed himself before the book ever even got published. That was a funny book. Ignatius always seemed to be trying to lead some kind of revolt, gay guys taking over the presidency to bring decency back to the world, a very unenthusiastic workers strike, or eating all the hot dogs from his cart. Funny stuff. Oh yeah, don't forget his tricky valve.

[Punch]

I think that it more than lived up to it's rep. Ignatious is one of the best characters I've ever read.

I'd like to know the deal with his sexual kinks, like masturbating while thinking of his (dead) dog?

funny funny book. There was some talk of a movie starring Will Ferrell, but I believe its canned.

[leonaozaki]

Confederacy of Dunces is great and deserves of all its reputation.

It may not be the greatest book about southern Louisiana -- which is of course Robert Penn Warren's All the King's Men-- but it's a great book nonetheless.

rob

[kingofsnake]

best name/avatar ever leona

[Tobias March]

Love the book. I hear Philip Seymour Hoffman is trying to get an adaptation off the ground. I think my favourite passage is were the protagonist goes on a rant about middle class America and describes how he envisions husbands coming home to their frumpy wives to indulge in some hardcore S & M to relieve the pressures of the office.

And when he tries to organise the homosexual community into a political movement to infiltrate all levels of society. That was the cherry on the cake :D