Queen of the Oddballs: And Other True Stories from a Life Unaccording to Plan (original 2006; edition 2006)

by Hillary Carlip

Members	Reviews	Popularity	Average rating	Mentions
236	12	121,175	(3.89)	3
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)

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Member:	readingguide
Title:	Queen of the Oddballs: And Other True Stories from a Life Unaccording to Plan
Authors:	Hillary Carlip
Info:	Harper Paperbacks (2006), Paperback
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Queen of the Oddballs: And Other True Stories from a Life Unaccording to Plan by Hillary Carlip (2006)

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the last third of this definitely improved dramatically for me. the rest was fine, okay, entertaining enough. it could be the heavy reliance on pop culture, which i have no reference point for at all, that made me not care much about most of the essays in the book. that said, her life experiences are pretty incredible. but the last part of the book was both more relatable and more interesting to me, and the writing felt more authentic, but maybe that is projection since i liked those essays better. i do like it when a book ends up unexpectedly featuring lgbtq people, that's always a nice surprise. (

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overlycriticalelisa | Mar 23, 2018 |

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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BookConcierge | Feb 26, 2016 |

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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bnbookgirl | Jul 17, 2015 |

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

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cougargirl1967 | May 3, 2013 |

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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Aerialgrrrl | Sep 26, 2011 |

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Awards

ALA Rainbow Book List (Selection – Young Adult Nonfiction – 2008)

Lambda Literary Award (Nominee – Humor – 2006)

Lambda Literary Award (Nominee – Lesbian Memoir/Biography – 2006)

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2006

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▾Book descriptions

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.

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