Most publishers praised the novel, often extravagantly, but because of its great length and avant-garde nature it would be too expensive a loss.

Rosset wanted the rejection letters to be published as part of the book, and Sorrentino agreed, although he supplied parody versions.

Flawless Play Restored: The Masque of Fungo was published separately in a hardcover signed edition and a paperback, by Black Sparrow Press, 16 December 1974.

[3] Marion Boyars had initially rejected Mulligan Stew unread as being too physically large, but changed her mind upon reading the book.

Starting even before the front matter a letter exchange between editors and Sorrentino is presented expressing their reasons for rejecting the novel.

Other matter is interspersed such as advertisement, erotic poems for Lamont to review, a masque play, and an academic-type manuscript concerning a mathematical proof.

Beaumont, however, had fallen under the seductive spell of two other women who went on exploiting him, and Halpin’s efforts to “rescue” had been futile.

Lamont despises the more successful brother-in-law in part because he believes he writes with a commercial interest in mind.