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A Confederacy of Dunces

Discussion in 'Too Hot for Swamp Gas' started by cocodrilo, Oct 6, 2023.

  1. cocodrilo

    cocodrilo GC Hall of Fame

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    In trying to think of something to compare to the current disarray on Capitol Hill, a book title occurred to me: “A Confederacy of Dunces.” But I realized, and now admit, that I had no idea what that acclaimed novel was about. So I looked it up on Wikipedia. Wow, what a story about that novel.

    It was published years after the author’s death, and thanks only to the persistence of his mother, who found a carbon copy of the manuscript. The novel won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. So why has it never been made into a movie? That’s the really weird part. There was a film to be made with John Belushi starring as Ignatius Reilly, the main character. But Belushi died young and the movie didn’t get made. Next John Candy and Chris Farley were both considered as leads for a movie version. But both of them died young. Director John Waters wanted to make a movie starring Divine as Ignatius. But Divine died young. A film adaptation by Stephen Soderbergh was to be made starring Will Farrell. Well, Farrell is still alive, so what happened to the movie? Farrell has called it “a mystery.” When asked about it in 2013, Soderbergh said, “I think it’s cursed. I’m not prone to superstition, but that project has bad mojo on it.”

    No kidding. A movie should be made about trying to make the movie. And getting someone to star it in. “You think I want to die young?”

    Oh, and the book's author died at the age of 31.
     
    Last edited: Oct 6, 2023
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  2. AndyGator

    AndyGator GC Hall of Fame

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    There's always Idiocracy 2 :cool:
     
  3. PITBOSS

    PITBOSS GC Hall of Fame

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    It’s a fascinating story on the writer. Read the book years ago and it really stuck with me.
     
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  4. tampagtr

    tampagtr VIP Member

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    Great, great book. Ignatius J. Reilly. Think there used to be a statue to him in NO.
     
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  5. wgbgator

    wgbgator Premium Member

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    Used to be that our incels wrote prize-winning novels, now they shoot up Walmarts. We used to be a proper country.
     
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  6. dangolegators

    dangolegators GC Hall of Fame

    Apr 26, 2007
    Read it years ago. Great book.
     
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  7. slocala

    slocala VIP Member

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    I’ve inserted humorous quotes on this site from the book over the years.

    “The United States needs some theology and geometry, some taste and decency. I suspect that we are teetering on the edge of the abyss.”

    Make me happy to see this thread. Audio book for those interested. Good narration.

     
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  8. Gatorrick22

    Gatorrick22 GC Hall of Fame

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    Can someone tell us the gist of it, please.