Queen of the Oddballs: And Other True Stories from a Life Unaccording to Plan
by Hillary Carlip
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 153)
recommended to Gabi by:
the library
recommends it for: pop culture enthusiasts, fans of Laurie Notaro
recommends it for: pop culture enthusiasts, fans of Laurie Notaro
Another book of essays, this one reads more like a memoir. Carlip relates both her upbringing and later, her career in Hollywood. She starts with her penchant for imitating anything she saw on television as an eight year old and getting suspended from the third grade for smoking so she could be like Holly Golightly; she continues with her adventures at cotillion with the children of celebrities.
She spends a good portion of her pre teen years stalking the likes of Carly Simon and Carole Kin...more
She spends a good portion of her pre teen years stalking the likes of Carly Simon and Carole Kin...more
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Read in April, 2006
I've said it before, but I'm going to say it again. I'm a memoir junky. The memoir genre is right up there at the top of my favorites list. This book was definitely right up my alley.
Hillary Carlip grew up knowing she wasn't like the rest of the world; but it took her most of her life to learn to embrace her "inner oddball." The book spans nearly four decades of her life and tells stories about everything she did. Knowing she was never meant to hold down any sort of mundane &q...more
Hillary Carlip grew up knowing she wasn't like the rest of the world; but it took her most of her life to learn to embrace her "inner oddball." The book spans nearly four decades of her life and tells stories about everything she did. Knowing she was never meant to hold down any sort of mundane &q...more
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Read in July, 2008
What a fun, enjoyable, entertaining read!
I laughed out loud, I chuckled to myself, and I even saw some tears at one point.
A personal favorite of mine is the chapter when Carlip writes a letter to Olivia Newtown John after having a role in "Xanadu". I already liked Carlip at this point, and this pushed me over the scales: I was hooked!
From started a group on feminish and women's rights in high school, to becoming a juggler at 15, to working as a singing telegram, this gal has done...more
I laughed out loud, I chuckled to myself, and I even saw some tears at one point.
A personal favorite of mine is the chapter when Carlip writes a letter to Olivia Newtown John after having a role in "Xanadu". I already liked Carlip at this point, and this pushed me over the scales: I was hooked!
From started a group on feminish and women's rights in high school, to becoming a juggler at 15, to working as a singing telegram, this gal has done...more
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Hilary Carlip is "almost famous" and has had many encounters with people who are very famous indeed. This is a very entertaining memoir highlighting her upbringing in LA, her immersion in the late 60s/early 70s counter-culture, and a very memorable juggling performance on The Gong Show. (I saw this particular routine and still vividly recall it. Never missed me a Gong Show back in the day.)
Carlip is a very likeable author and funny, too. You can see how she talked her way into (a...more
Carlip is a very likeable author and funny, too. You can see how she talked her way into (a...more
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What can I say about Madame Carlip, other than that I find her to be exactly like her book: warm, generous, bizarre, and funny as hell. She gives up the goods. She's profoundly loving. She's willing to take anyone she cares about along on her adventures. Basically, this woman rocks the house and paddles the boat. I am thoroughly lucky to have her as a friend. Read her book. It's the perfect thing for plenty of the people in your life. It will make you feel better about everything you've ever don...more
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Read in May, 2008
I'm not usually a fan of memoirs, with certain exceptions, and this is one of those exceptions. I read this in a day and a half, and could have read it in less time than that if I weren't so busy. Carlip's adventures and misadventures are amusing, sometimes heartbreaking, and I related just so much to her. I love how the book has photos and diary entries enclosed, and how she starts each chapter with selected news event from that year, combined with her own thoughts about them. Wonderful stuff.
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Read in October, 2005
Ah, life in 1960s Los Angeles: taking ballroom dancing classes taken with children of the stars; hanging out (seriously underage) at the Troubadour with the likes of Carly Simon; looking for Carole King's house; filming *Xanadu*; juggling on The Gong Show... and oh, coming out. This was a fun read, a spot-on look at growing up in Southern California during a particularly happening time.
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Read in February, 2008
What a silly girl.. this book is funny..
Some of her stunts were somewhat like me... :/ I was on the HOWDY DOODY show (or buffalo bob show locally) at very young age.. maybe 4.. she was on Art Linkletter.
I don't remember much of the 80s but she brought back memories.. not only funny, but also moving and I like her unique style of writing ideas.. Very different from most memoirs
Some of her stunts were somewhat like me... :/ I was on the HOWDY DOODY show (or buffalo bob show locally) at very young age.. maybe 4.. she was on Art Linkletter.
I don't remember much of the 80s but she brought back memories.. not only funny, but also moving and I like her unique style of writing ideas.. Very different from most memoirs
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Read in February, 2007
recommends it for:
Everyone
I stumbled across this book while rifling through one of my roommates bookshelves. This book is hilarious! Hilary Carlip grew up in LA, and instead of feeling priveledged, she viewed herself as an outsider. It's an interesting and refreshing take on this town called La LA Land. After reading this book, my faith in this town, which was pretty much non-existent, felt renewed.
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Really loved Hillary Carlip. A must read for the adpiring fire eater, juggler, author. Carlip grew up in LA amoung the talented and famous of her time. As a teen she staked out her favs and met many of them. Learn how she used her many talents, esp. as a writer to make her way in Hollywood. I wanted to meet this lady. Must read for anyone needing a boost.
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Read in January, 2007
recommends it for:
Everyone
i LOVED this book. I kind of grabbed this from Amazon just because it seemed funny and the reviews were pretty good and I am so glad I did. It was a random purchase but so funny. The best part about this book is that it's all true. It's a memoir of an overweight, lesbian growing up in Hollywood. I won't ruin the story but it's worth the read.
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Read in June, 2008
This caught my eye at Powell's - the chapters are broken up by year-by-year lists of goofy trivia. It's the memoir of a girl who grew up in Southern California in the 60's and dreamt of being a movie star. She was actually in "Xanadu" - that counts (maybe). This was perfect reading for the plane home from vacation - easy to digest.
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This is not so much a collection of essays as it is a chronological memoir. I did like it a lot but I'm a big ol' softie for memoir. The cover of the book made me think this was going to be very dark, but it was actually a very light and funny book. She reminds me of a goofier Jill Soloway. Mad props to women memoirists.
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Read in February, 2007
Strange-but-true-and-also-hilarious--it's own genre. Author Carlip goes to cotillion with the children of famous people and tries to show them up. Carlip becomes a teen activist and total feminist and tries to show up 70s female singers. I'm not sure how to explain it, but you will laugh and cringe in every chapter.
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Read in August, 2008
I really enjoyed this book - Carlip has already lived four lifetimes of fun and interesting, from her childhood appearance on Art Linkletter to her many brushes with celebrity.....I won't say more in order to save the fun surprises to be found here. Definitely worth a read, and then you'll want to hang with Hillary.
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Read in September, 2007
Hillary Carlip is amazing. She's lived through some crazy events and has had some very stunningly interesting relationships. She lays it all wonderfully bare in this book. I couldn't put it down. She might be a liberal, but don't let that put you off. She's got a heart (and an author's hand) of gold.
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A cute book with stand-alone chapters that are anecdotes of Carlip's peripheral-of-Hollywood view of someone really trying hard to make it big in showbusiness. Her obsessions with celebrities are hilarious and fun, and this made for an enjoyable bedtime read.
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this is a really cool memoir. reminds me of a female version of david sedaris. and she stalked carol king just to meet her....which i find very endearing. If you are touched by the eccentric kind you will take alot with you after reading this.
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I guess it's probably one of those hit or miss books for people. Since I grew up not far from the author and am close in age to her, her childhood experiences are all familiar to me, so it's like reading a book about a wacky friend.
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Read in October, 2007
Maybe it's because I grew up a few years behind Hillary but I loved this book! Every chapter caused memories of my own childhood to come rushing back and I love her quirky take on what was happening in the world at each time.
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