Tuesday, March 16, 2010

A Confederacy of Dunces

When Op says to read book X, I read book X, and so after years of everybody nagging me to read A Confederacy of Dunces I picked it up a few days ago. While a bit overblown in it's "CLASSIC MASTERPIECE!!" hype, it is thoroughly entertaining with a uniquely freewheeling style. Tho I can't help but think of Ignatius as a souped-up Dwight Schrute in a Seinfeld script, what with all the plot points and characters in all corners somehow converging upon each other. I also worry about a book that, while really good, might not top it's own publishing evolution in the first place (dude kills hisself, decade later mother finds the manuscript etc etc.)

A delightful insight to a mind of absurdity surrounded by colorful characters, all set in another time and place that's juuuuuuuust recognizable enough (yet just out of reach) to someone my age.

No spoilers, I'm still about 30 pages from finishing. So don't write in that he bangs his mother or something.

Hey look, some titties.

2 comments:

The Gnat said...

I love CoD and talked many friends into reading (am I finally cool like Op?), but I agree the backstory maybe even better than the book. Just like WILCO's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.

Kiko Jones said...

I have not read CoD, but I disagree that YHF's backstory is better than the album itself. Now, if you were to say that after listening to YHF, the rest of the band's output is anti-climactic in comparison, I'd be with you on that.