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A Confederacy of Dunces

CRITIQUE | QUOTES

A Confederacy of Dunces, first editionFirst edition
Publication details ▽ Publication details △

First publication
1988

Literature form
Novel

Genres
Literary, satire

Writing language
English

Author's country
United States

Length
Approx. 140,000 words

Notable lines

A green hunting cap squeezed the top of the fleshy balloon of a head.

— First line

"Apparently I lack some particular perversion which today's employer is seeking."

 

"Then you must begin a reading program immediately so that you may understand the crises of our age," Ignatius said solemnly. "Begin with the late Romans, including Boethius, of course. Then you should dip rather extensively into early Medieval. You may skip the Renaissance and the Enlightenment. That is mostly dangerous propaganda. Now that I think of it, you had better skip the Romantics and the Victorians. For the contemporary period, you should study some selected comic books."

 

"When Fortuna spins you downward, go out to a movie and get more out of life."

How ironic, Ignatius thought. Taking the pigtail in one of his paws, he pressed it warmly to his wet moustache.

— Last line

 

CRITIQUE | QUOTES