Of course, I still don't exactly understand what the book is about, but I have great appreciation for the style and content. It is one story of many in a long history of "picaresque" novels, so called for their portrayals of a central "picaro" (Spanish for "rogue") figure who hails from the dregs of society and has a series of adventures loosely structured enough so as not to qualify as a plot. Comedy and satire abound, and the picaro's blasé interpretation of morality provides a vicarious thrill for everyone who wishes they could just stop acquiescing to society's bullshit already. I mean, whose adventures would you rather watch with voyeurism and schadenfreude: someone who values practicality and their own needs over a moral compass, or an insufferable pedant with a penchant for proclaiming rules the ultimate mark of civilized society?
Political rantings aside, the whole point of my post is that the story BEHIND the creation of Confederacy of Dunces is being made into a film, titled Butterfly in the Typewriter and based on the book bearing the same name. It chronicles writer and professor John Kennedy Toole (who went by the name of Ken) as he writes, suffers depression, and struggles to bring his masterpiece to light. Toole died by suicide in 1967 at the age of 31, after which his devoted mother continued to champion his work, ultimately getting the manuscript published and earning her son a posthumous Pulitzer Prize in 1981. I haven't read Butterfly in the Typewriter, but have read Ken & Thelma, which documents the pair's mother/son relationship and Thelma's unwavering determination to get her son's work published. Filming is set to start very soon (in May) and stars Susan Sarandon as Thelma and Thomas Mann as John Kennedy Toole, with Nick Offerman and Diane Kruger in staring roles as well. Keeping my eyes peeled. I'm going to ask New Orleans Movie Tours to take me to set so I can get a front-row seat. I have not been paid to promote New Orleans Movie Tours or anything. But if they gave me money I wouldn't say no. But they haven't. I just love New Orleans and movies and going on tours.   Saturday, May 13, 2017 — I'll be at Garden District Books on Prytania from 1-3pm celebrating Independent Bookstore Day! GDB is hosting activities galore. Splat the Cat will be there, whom I haven't met yet, and I'm scheduled to appear just as Splat leaves. Is Splat avoiding me?! Come see me; we'll have signed copies of my book Opossums Don't Live in Houses and Other Alternative Facts. If you just want to hug me and say hi that's 100% great, too!
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Written by me, Starry, from It's Me, Sesame! Categories
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