TOOLE, John. Kennedy (1937-1969). A Confederacy of Dunces. Foreword by Walker Percy. Baton Rouge and London: Louisiana State University Press, 1980. 8vo. [xii], 1-338, [2, blank] pp. Publisher's full light green cloth, spine stamped in black, publisher's unclipped (?$12.95") dust jacket (light rubbing, soiling, a few tiny holes to binding, minor soiling to edge of text block; jacket spine toned, some chipping, a few marginal tears to jacket, some discoloring to front jacket panel, some soiling to jacket). Very good.FIRST EDITION IN THE FIRST ISSUE DUST JACKET WITH PERCY'S BLURB ON THE REAR JACKET PANEL. One of 2,500 copies of the first printing, this modern classic won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1981. Toole, a professor of literature, tried for years to publish this book, but, despondent from the lack of interest by major publishers, committed suicide in 1969. His mother, Thelma, brought this novel to the attention to novelist Walker Percy, who shepherded it to publication by the Louisiana State University Press. This brilliant novel brought the world the misanthropic, overweight, slovenly, and ultimately lovable protagonist, Ignatius J. Reilly. Measurements: 9"L x 8"W x 2"H.