book review: confederacy of dunces

it's friday, 1415 in the afternoon, sunny, warm, i gotta actually go to work in an hour or so.

so this blog is supposed to be about bikes books n' shit.  there is plenty of bikes, and more than enough shit, but it's been lean on books as of late.  i just don't seem to read as much as i used to.  i am trying to rectify that though, i've got about ten books lined up to be read and i'm hoping to read them all in the next ten weeks.  we shall see...

so, books....let's talk about a confederacy of dunces by john K Toole.
i know it's been read by everyone, and i'm the last guy to read it.  i know it's the greatest book ever.  well...i'm not a fan.  i didn't like it.

i tried to read it years ago, didn't finish it, didn't like it.  i figured i'm older and wiser and would appreciate it more.  nope.   the main character, Ignatius, a fat annoying frustrating motherfucker is not at all likable, at least not by me.  perhaps i know too many people like him, and i can't stand them and don't want anything to do with them, but when i read the book, it just makes me angry and frustrated at him, i don't like him and don't want anything to do with him.

then there is the patois, a lot of the dialogue is written in new orleans vernacular, and while i know it' supposed to help make the story real and give the reader a feel for the area, it's just annoying and frustrating to me.

the cast of characters are somewhat funny, but overall they are indeed dunces, and it's just annoying to read about these idiots.  again, perhaps i've seen too many of them in real life and the frustration of dealing with them in real life carries over and ruins my fictional experience.  either way, not a fun read, not funny, and there it is.

it's not a horrible book, i just didn't find it as masterful and amazing and deep and funny as everyone says it is.  i don't care how many awards it's won, i don't care how satirical and deep it is.  it's not an entertaining story, i couldn't care less about the main character, or any of them, and it was more tedious a read than enjoyable.

so, there is that.   i wouldn't recommend the book, if a movie ever comes out, i don't' want to see it.

tonight i'm  gonna see M John Fayhee...i'm excited about that.

now, i'm off.  got shit to do....