Books

Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1980. First Edition, one of only 2500 copies printed, in first-state dustwrapper without the Chicago Sun-Times blurb. 8vo. Publisher's cloth. Fine in publisher’s cloth and unclipped dust jacket. First Edition, one of only 2500 copies printed, in first-state dustwrapper without the Chicago Sun-Times blurb. 8vo. First edition of this Pulitzer Prize-winning satirical masterpiece which had a very small first printing (reportedly 2500 copies). Acclaimed by critics and beloved by readers, the story of Ignatius J. Reilly's crusade against the modern era quickly became seen as a comic masterpiece and went through a succession of printings. This copy signed by the editor and saviour of the legacy of John Kennedy Toole, Walker Percy, on the title page. Burgess 99

A Confederacy of Dunces is a picaresque novel by American novelist John Kennedy Toole, published by Louisiana State University Press in 1980, 11 years after Toole's suicide. The book's title refers to an epigram from Jonathan Swift's essay, 'Thoughts on Various Subjects, Moral and Diverting': 'When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him.' Set in New Orleans, the novel bursts with rich and vivid characters, especially the protagonist, Ignatius J. Reilly, whose comedic misadventures are a highlight of the narrative.

First editions of 'A Confederacy of Dunces' can be identified by the lack of mention of the Pulitzer Prize on the cover and the presence of editorial reviews. Additionally, the correct ISBN number and the date of the print run also help to verify the first edition.