A Confederacy of Dumptys: Portraits of American Scoundrels in Verse

by John Lithgow

Overview

The third New York Times bestseller in John Lithgow’s satirical poetry series.

Following the success of Dumpty and Trumpty Dumpty Wanted a Crown, award-winning actor, author, and illustrator John Lithgow presents the third book in his runaway hit series. While the blatant corruption and abuse of power of the Trump era was shocking, it was actually nothing new. In A Confederacy of Dumptys, Lithgow shifts his focus to some of the biggest scoundrels in American history, from Richard Nixon to Newt Gingrich, Leona Helmsley to the Sackler family. He deftly wields the power of the limerick and line-drawing to describe despicable events such as Watergate and the January 6th insurrection. American history, Lithgow reveals, is rife with powerful and deeply crooked men and women.

Delivered in verse filled with his trademark wit and cutting humor, and accompanied by clever illustrations, this exuberant book tells the stories—corrupt, criminal, or just plain crummy—of history’s long-forgotten villains and today’s most prominent bad actors.

Digital audio edition read by author John Lithgow.

BELOVED AUTHOR: John Lithgow has delighted audiences for decades, starring in hit TV series like 3rd Rock from the Sun, Dexter, and The Crown, and in critically acclaimed films such as The World According to Garp, Terms of Endearment, and Bombshell. He has published several beloved children’s books.

BESTSELLING SERIES: All three books in Lithgow’s political satire series, Dumpty, Trumpty Dumpty Wanted a Crown, and A Confederacy of Dumptys, have become New York Times bestsellers and garnered critical and popular acclaim.

NOT JUST TRUMP: Where the previous books in the series took aim squarely at Trump, this book captures a wider array of present-day scoundrels and historical wrongdoers. A Confederacy of Dumptys provides plenty of entertainment and insight for the post-Trump era and serves as a potent reminder to not repeat history.

Perfect for:

• Fans of the previous books in the series: Dumpty and Trumpty Dumpty Wanted a Crown
• Humor fans: readers of books like Don’t Sit on My Bed by Phoebe Robinson, If You Gave a Pig the White House, and fans of classic comics such as The Far Side
• Readers of political nonfiction such as Midnight in Washington by Adam Schiff, On Tyranny: Graphic Edition by Timothy Snyder, or The Trump Tapes by Bob Woodward
• Political satire lovers and fans of Stephen Colbert, Trevor Noah, Jon Stewart, or Chelsea Handler
• Makes a great gift or stocking stuffer for dads, political junkies, poetry lovers, and history buffs

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781797209470
Publisher:	Chronicle Books
Publication date:	10/05/2021
Series:	Dumpty Series , #3
Pages:	112
Sales rank:	149,179
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.10(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

JOHN LITHGOW is an actor with two Tonys, six Emmys, two Golden Globes, and two Oscar nominations. He has starred in the hit TV series 3rd Rock from the Sun, Dexter, The Crown, and Perry Mason, and in critically acclaimed films such as The World According to Garp, Terms of Endearment, and Bombshell. Lithgow has performed on Broadway 25 times and in England with both the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre. In addition to the New York Times bestsellers Dumpty and Trumpty Dumpty Wanted a Crown, he has written nine children's picture books, and his recordings for kids have landed him four Grammy nominations.

Table of Contents

Introduction: We've Been Here Before 7

Prologue: Trumpty Dumpty Was Losing the Race 11

Old Hickory 13

The Man Who Made Kansas Bleed 16

The Wizard of the Saddle 20

Nasty Business: The Tale of Boss Tweed 24

The Great Pyramids of Sarah Howe 29

The Custer Dash 33

Centennial Day, 1876 38

The Tale of Typhoid Mary 42

The Fall of Fall 45

The Goat Gland Doctor 49

Exit Theodore Bilbo 56

The Wonder Boy 59

Spiro Zero 64

Happy Fiftieth: A Grand Old Party, Part One 68

The Queen of Mean 72

The Secret Life of Newts 75

Madoff's Trade-Off 78

Happy New Year: A Grand Old Party, Part Two 80

A Rogues Gallery 87

Limericks for the Here and Now 88

Dumpty's Dream 96

Editorial Reviews

A New York Times Bestseller!

From the Publisher