Queen of the Oddballs: And Other True Stories from a Life Unaccording to Plan

by Hillary Carlip

Paperback, 2006

Status

Available

Call number

PN2287 .C269 A3 2006

Genres

Collections

Your library, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

Publication

Harper Paperbacks (2006), Paperback, 288 pages

Description

A hilariously offbeat memoir about an adventurous young woman's escapades as she defies conventions and transforms an ordinary Los Angeles life into a star-studded, extraordinary miracle of self-discovery. Queen of the Oddballs forms a chronology of Hillary Carlip's habitual straying from roads more traveled -- from a wisecracking third-grader suspended from school for smoking (while imitating Holly Golightly) to a headline-making teen activist, juggler and fire eater, friend (NOT "fan") of Carly Simon and Carole King, grand prize-winning Gong Show contestant, cult rock star, and seeker of spiritual and romantic truths that definitely defy expectations. Illustrated with ephemera -- from diary entries and photographs to a handwritten letter from Carly Simon -- Queen of the Oddballs presents a virtual time capsule of pop culture's last four decades and celebrates a creative life lived to the hilt.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member ursula

Hillary Carlip seems to have spent her life searching for her own way to stand out, while trying on various methods to see if they suit her. The amazing part is that most of them did indeed suit her, so she has a lot of great stories to tell.

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LibraryThing member Pupsickle

Hillary Carlip's account of her extremely un-ordinary life was amusing and fun to read, but it dragged a bit in places (especially the screenplay chapter - I thought it would never end!). She made me laugh out loud in several places. Definitely a fun way to spend an evening.

LibraryThing member WittyreaderLI

This book was a quick but fun read. It contained very interesting facts aobut different eras and a lot of celebrity encounters. I think I like Laurie Notaro a LOT better than Hillary, but overall, it was a fun read!

LibraryThing member chowards

Purposely slowed down reading this book to make it last until 2007. Wanted the first book on the list for the year to be this one,

LibraryThing member spinsterrevival

Hillary Carlip has had a fascinating life full of weirdness and wonder. I have to say that I enjoyed reading about her early years more than anything else (her and a friend roaming Laurel Canyon in order to find/stalk Carole King was hilarious), but the later years of dealing with relationships and

family had some poignant insights as well. Carlip just seems like a gutsy awesome woman, and this was a great memoir.

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LibraryThing member bookwormteri

A really fun and off the wall memoir. A little oddball who puts her talent to good use. It didn't take me long to read and I just didn't want to put it down. I want to make some banana bread and sit down and talk with her....

LibraryThing member Aerialgrrrl

I picked this up at 6pm and when I looked at the clock, it was 3am and I'd finished. Hillary Carlip is completely posessed/ blessed with the knack of making real-life 'unputdownable'. (It probably helps that she's had an incredibly off-beat and interesting life.) The only thing that disappointed me

was a sense of bitterness that appeared out of the blue in the final chapters - perhaps it was her relevation about why her relationships were such disaster zones, but it did feel a little uneven. Still, she's a fantastic writer and this made me feel nostalgic for a time and places I've never experienced in my own life...I straight away wanted to re-read 'A girl's guide to taking over the world', AND find a copy of 'Girl Power'. Oddball = awesome.

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LibraryThing member cougargirl1967

What a wild ride Hillary had for a life! A very engaging book, humorous and touching.

LibraryThing member bnbookgirl

A funny, quick read. I loved reading about her and her time with Carly Simon and the weeks upon weeks she spent trying to meet Carole King. The chapter about the Cotillion is quite funny as well. She definitely marched to the beat of her own drum and that is an admirable quality. The beginning of

each chapter also has a time line of events that took place for that particular year. This is an interesting touch. A quick read, would be great for a day at the beach because it doesn't require a lot of thinking. Definitely a memoir worth reading if you like the quirkier side of life.

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LibraryThing member BookConcierge

Memoir of a life NOT according to plan. From age 8 to mid-40s, Hilary tries on multiple personae in an effort to feel that "it's enough." Finally discovering she, herself, is more than enough.

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