# Am I the only person who thinks 'Confederacy of Dunces' is tedious, humor-free, and overhyped? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 3, 2013, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thinks-confederacy-of-dunces-is-tedious-humor-free-and-overhyped/654718 "2013-04-03T10:30:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thinks-confederacy-of-dunces-is-tedious-humor-free-and-overhyped/654718/1 "2013-04-03T10:30:12Z")
Yes, I’ll say it again: I think that Confederacy of Dunces is tedious, humor-free, and overhyped (with the hype sometimes rising to a fever pitch on these Boards). Now, maybe if had I read it back in the 60’s when it was written if not published, before the anti-hero had become a cliche, and when Toole’s style and the book’s contents might have been novel, maybe then I would have laughed. Then again, maybe not. And, even if upon opening the book I had enjoyed reading about Ignatius, his characterization, or his escapades, I have serious doubts that I would still have been smiling, two hundred pages later, hearing about them for the eighty-seventh time. Oh, the cover; I almost forgot. [The image of Ignatius](http://chamberfour.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/a-confederacy-of-dunces-by-john-kennedy-toole.jpg) was so off-putting, so unfunny, and so unlike what I might have visualized for Toole’s slothful, bumptious protagonist that, in fairness, the book didn’t stand a chance. I’m willing to bet that early editions of COD weren’t graced with such a ridiculous, distracting, downright intrusive image. You may now pile on. ---
**Author:** ![ASanders](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asanders/32/3367_2.png) [@ASanders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASanders)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thinks-confederacy-of-dunces-is-tedious-humor-free-and-overhyped/654718/2 "2013-04-03T10:40:29Z")
You are not alone. I read it back in the 80s or so, because my then-boyfriend said it was his favorite book. He wasn’t a reader, so I should have been forewarned. Yuck. If I never hear the word “sphincter” again it will be too soon. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thinks-confederacy-of-dunces-is-tedious-humor-free-and-overhyped/654718/3 "2013-04-03T10:41:33Z")
Well you can compare the cover pic to the original _LSU Press_ edition [here.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Confederacy_of_dunces_cover.jpg). Any better? ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thinks-confederacy-of-dunces-is-tedious-humor-free-and-overhyped/654718/4 "2013-04-03T11:31:14Z")
Nah, I’m with you. I picked up a copy after hearing so many times that it was the funniest thing ever written, and put it down at the end wondering if I’d grabbed the wrong book. It wasn’t really _bad_\*, mind you. Just overwhelmingly “meh”. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thinks-confederacy-of-dunces-is-tedious-humor-free-and-overhyped/654718/5 "2013-04-03T11:35:31Z")
Me, three. I loves me some reading, but that was just pointless and tiring to read. ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thinks-confederacy-of-dunces-is-tedious-humor-free-and-overhyped/654718/6 "2013-04-03T11:51:37Z")
God no. I too heard so many great things about it, then picked it up and couldn’t get past the first chapter or so. I can get into a story about worthless people, if it’s done well, but this was totally unengaging and obnoxious. Life is too short, so I didn’t force myself to read on. ---
**Author:** ![JessMagic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c0e974/32.png) [@JessMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JessMagic)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thinks-confederacy-of-dunces-is-tedious-humor-free-and-overhyped/654718/7 "2013-04-03T11:54:54Z")
I don’t think I even got halfway through. File next to The Unbearable Lightness Of Being and The Great Gatsby. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thinks-confederacy-of-dunces-is-tedious-humor-free-and-overhyped/654718/8 "2013-04-03T12:02:57Z")
I finished it, but I did not enjoy it. I don’t consider it a good book at all. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thinks-confederacy-of-dunces-is-tedious-humor-free-and-overhyped/654718/9 "2013-04-03T12:05:31Z")
I enjoyed it, but totally understand the frustration. It’s that kind of book. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thinks-confederacy-of-dunces-is-tedious-humor-free-and-overhyped/654718/10 "2013-04-03T12:09:54Z")
I thought it was funny. Now that I come to think of it, though, I’ve never spontaneously brought it up to anyone else. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thinks-confederacy-of-dunces-is-tedious-humor-free-and-overhyped/654718/11 "2013-04-03T12:18:13Z")
I’ve tried to read it at least twice, 15 or more years apart, and couldn’t convince myself it was worth finishing. Only thing that would have made me enjoy it would have been if the protagonist had gotten run over by a bus. I read a bit - at least a book a week. I enjoy satire and fiction. I have nothing against unpleasant characters - Harry Crews is probably my favorite author. But I simply do not understand why so many people think there is anything to this book. ---
**Author:** ![iftheresaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecae2f/32.png) [@iftheresaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iftheresaway)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thinks-confederacy-of-dunces-is-tedious-humor-free-and-overhyped/654718/12 "2013-04-03T12:26:40Z")
I started my own thread about it five years ago: [A Confederacy of Dunces - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=433387) I just really hate Ignatious. Completely agree that the whole thing feels like “OMG! Can you believe how boorish this guy is what an ass! Watch him be an irredeemable ass for the rest of the book!” It’s like if Family Guy had no characters or story lines other than Peter being an obnoxious blowhard. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thinks-confederacy-of-dunces-is-tedious-humor-free-and-overhyped/654718/13 "2013-04-03T13:06:53Z")
> [@iftheresaway](#): > > It’s like if Family Guy had no characters or story lines other than Peter being an obnoxious blowhard. Must! Resist! Obvious Joke! ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thinks-confederacy-of-dunces-is-tedious-humor-free-and-overhyped/654718/14 "2013-04-03T13:31:35Z")
To join the chorus - I got about halfway thru without so much as a smile, realized it was an effort, and abandoned it. It’s just not funny. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thinks-confederacy-of-dunces-is-tedious-humor-free-and-overhyped/654718/15 "2013-04-03T13:55:57Z")
This thread is closing up my valve something fierce. I recently read somewhere, perhaps on this board, that people that dislike Dunces are likely to see too much of themselves in the character of Ignatius. I read the book for the first time and loved it, but thought to myself that he reminded me of a “Typical Doper” in a lot of ways… though I imagine he’d end up banned here fairly quickly after declaring the MMP an abortion one too many times. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thinks-confederacy-of-dunces-is-tedious-humor-free-and-overhyped/654718/16 "2013-04-03T13:58:29Z")
It goes on too long. It sets up a character then just keeps putting him in the same situation. It also is dated, more than anything, it reminds me of some of Terry Southern’s more tedious works that just go on and on. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thinks-confederacy-of-dunces-is-tedious-humor-free-and-overhyped/654718/17 "2013-04-03T14:09:09Z")
It has been a while since I read it. I recall enjoying it, but clearly it didn’t make too great an impression on me. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thinks-confederacy-of-dunces-is-tedious-humor-free-and-overhyped/654718/18 "2013-04-03T14:34:10Z")
> [@iftheresaway](#): > > I just really hate Ignatious. Completely agree that the whole thing feels like “OMG! Can you believe how boorish this guy is what an ass! Watch him be an irredeemable ass for the rest of the book!” It’s like if Family Guy had no characters or story lines other than Peter being an obnoxious blowhard. This, exactly this. (Except that I don’t watch Family Guy, becuase it’s like an animated _ **Confederacy** _.) Seriously, tell me why I should read a book about a guy being a pathetic loser and complete jerk? I finished the book, because I’m like that, but I can assure you that I have never felt the need to pick it up again. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thinks-confederacy-of-dunces-is-tedious-humor-free-and-overhyped/654718/19 "2013-04-03T15:12:39Z")
> [@LawMonkey](#): > > Seriously, tell me why I should read a book about a guy being a pathetic loser and complete jerk? IME, the responses you will get will be variations of, “Yeah, isn’t that GREAT?!” In a word - no. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thinks-confederacy-of-dunces-is-tedious-humor-free-and-overhyped/654718/20 "2013-04-03T15:13:27Z")
Wow! I am not weird after all!! Very reassuring. (And, I am not implying you have to be weird to like it, only that I’m not weird for not liking it) Thanks all! ETA: **don’t ask** : Well, I can’t blame the cover, I guess. Thanks for that. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thinks-confederacy-of-dunces-is-tedious-humor-free-and-overhyped/654718.md?page=2)