From Loyola University in New Orleans:
As part of the First Year Summer Reading Program at Loyola University New Orleans, all first-year students will receive a copy of John Kennedy Toole’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, “A Confederacy of Dunces,” published by Louisiana State University Press. Students will receive the book either by mail or during upcoming orientation sessions. The distribution of this book was made possible by a generous donation from the College of Law under the leadership of the late Brian Bromberger.
“This book is a fitting choice for many reasons, including its connection to Loyola. Southern literature is known for its connection to place, and no book better represents a place than this one,” states a letter to the students signed by the deans of Loyola’s College of Business, College of Music and Fine Arts, College of Humanities and Natural Sciences and College of Social Sciences.
While teaching in the English department at Loyola in 1976, noted Southern author Walker Percy was approached by the mother of a young, local writer who had committed suicide seven years earlier. The mother explained to Percy that in his career, her son had failed to find a publisher for his manuscript. After some persuasion, Percy read and saw promise in the piece and later used his influence to reintroduce it to publishers. As a result, “A Confederacy of Dunces” was published in 1980 and Toole was awarded a Pulitzer Prize posthumously in 1981. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the book’s publishing.
For students coming in to New Orleans from other parts of the country or the world, I can think of no better choice of a book to introduce them to New Orleans. For local students who have not read the book, shame on them. Now's their chance.
Why isn't Thelma Toole, John Kennedy Toole's mother, named? Thelma was a force, a character, made of stern stuff, not a woman to be deterred from her mission, which was to get her son's masterpiece published. "Confederacy" earned a Pulitzer Prize and a place on the best seller list for Louisiana State University Press.
Yay Loyola! Yay Alma Mater!
