#1326

Mentioned in 18 episodes

A Confederacy of Dunces

Book • 1980

John Kennedy Toole

A Confederacy of Dunces is a picaresque novel that tells the story of Ignatius J. Reilly, an overweight, unemployed, and intellectually arrogant man living with his mother in New Orleans.

The novel is a rich satire that critiques modern society through Ignatius's interactions with a diverse cast of characters, including his mother Irene, his girlfriend Myrna Minkoff, and various eccentric figures from New Orleans.

Written in the early 1960s while Toole was in the army, the book was published posthumously in 1980 and won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1981.

It is celebrated for its witty and absurd portrayal of life in New Orleans and its memorable protagonist, Ignatius J. Reilly.

Mentioned by

Walter Russell Mead

Michael Bosstick

David Spiegelhalter

Mentioned in 18 episodes

Mentioned by

Ryan Holiday

as a book discovered and published posthumously by Walker Percy.

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Mentioned by

Theo Von

as one of his favorite books.

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Mentioned by

Ryan Holiday

in connection to a hot dog vendor, in reference to the book's hot dog vendor character.

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Mentioned by

Ryan Holiday

as one of his favorite novels, highlighting its humor and the author's tragic fate.

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Mentioned by

Michael Lewis

as a book that greatly influenced him.

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Mentioned by

Walter Russell Mead

in reference to Ignatius J. Reilly and Confederacy of Dunces.

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Mentioned by

Michael Lewis

in comparison to Sam Bankman-Fried's personality.

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Mentioned by

Michael Bosstick

as a fiction book based in New Orleans that won the Pulitzer Prize.

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Mentioned by

Michael Lewis

as comparable to Sam Bankman-Fried's character.

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Mentioned by

Merlin Mann

in a conversation about books and opinions.

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Mentioned by

Roseanne Barr

when talking about the greatness of a man.

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Jasper Bark

as a working comic dark comic genius.

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Recommended by

Ryan Holiday

, who initially found it hilarious but later saw it as a sad book depending on the reader's perspective.

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Mentioned by

Alie Ward

while discussing a book about hot dog cart life and its author's tragic backstory.

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Mentioned by

Ryan Holiday

, discussing how his interpretation of the book changed over time and its relevance depending on life experiences.

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Mentioned by

Kevin Lieber

as a book he read and enjoyed, and later wrote an essay about.

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Mentioned by

John Roderick

as a highly entertaining book that greatly impacted him.

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Mentioned by

Michael Easter

as a hilarious book he reread on a flight, causing him to laugh uncontrollably.

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Mentioned by

Ann Patchett

as a book that might not hold up as well with age.

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Recommended by

David Spiegelhalter

as one of the funniest books he has ever read.

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