Shitlord Book Club: "A Confederacy of Dunces" Set in mid-20th Century New Orleans, John Kennedy Toole's "A Confederacy of Dunces" follows its protagonist, Ignatius J. Reilly, in his battle against reality. Ignatius is a blimp-sized slobbering weirdo whose appetite for junk food is impossible to fulfill. An early archetype of the neckbeard, Ignatius sees his bloated form as massive and powerful - he has a "big man" complex despite being mostly revolting to those who behold him. He also considers himself intellectually superior to everyone around him. A man-child of 30 years, Ignatius is outraged that his mother expects him to find a job. He considers himself a scholar of philosophy and believes that an ascetic life of contemplation is the most valuable of pursuits - on his mother's dime, of course. Ignatius' prodigious appetite hinders his ability to find or keep a job, as does his refusal to change his clothes. The most amusing device in the book is Ignatius' cundishun - his sensitive pyloric valve. That's the valve that separates your stomach from your intestines. When Ignatius gets stressed out or reality is forced upon him, his valve seals and he enters an agitated state of gastrointestinal distress, full of burping and farting. J.K. Toole was a visionary, creating basically a male Tumblrina back when very few Americans were even overweight at all. I'd recommend it to any shitlord who wants a good laugh. One caveat: I've met people who can't get into the book because Ignatius is really such an insufferable asshole. If you like that kind of thing (Larry David, Kenny Powers et. al.) you'll love "A Confederacy of Dunces."