Queen of the Oddballs
And Other True Stories from a Life Unaccording to Plan
by Hillary Carlip
List Price: $13.95
Pages: 288
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 0060878835
Publisher: Harper Paperbacks
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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1. Why does Hillary feel injured when Carly Simon refers to her as a "fan," and what do her efforts to connect with Simon and the singer Carole King suggest about her own ambitions in life?
2. In what ways does the unusual format of Queen of the Oddballs (memoir interspersed with timelines, diary entries, screenplay excerpts, photos, etc.) enable you to appreciate the diversity of Hillary's life experiences?
3. How do Hillary's fellow teenage activists succeed in helping her come to terms with her low self-esteem about her body?
4. In what respects is Hillary's success on The Gong Show significant in terms of her personal growth?
5. How does Hillary's series of failed romances reflect her own emotional insecurities, and to what extent does her relationship with Maxine mark a personal transformation?
6. "Pick a character -- any persona -- who is imbued with traits you desire." Why does Hillary feel the need to assume alter egos that differ so dramatically from her own identity?
7. To what extent do you agree with Hillary's therapist that she is attracted to "darkness" in her personal relationships? How does this darkness color Hillary's sense of humor and perspective on life?
8. How does Hillary's experience on Oprah! reveal her own conflicted feelings about being a performer and her preference for lurking behind the scenes?
9. Of all of Hillary's encounters with celebrities and Hollywood figures, which did you find most entertaining and why?
10. Have you ever felt like an outsider, or done something out of the ordinary, or a bit odd? Does Hillary's approach to living a life unaccording to plan have any effect on how you view your life or yourself?
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"[T]he charm... lies inher whimsical surrender to celebrity culture, balanced byher awareness of how silly it all is."
—The Advocate
"Quirky... hilarious... this unconventional tale of self-discovery offers an unforgettable ride."
—Pages Magazine
"An unpredictable, fresh, distinctive memoir ... it will suck you in before you know it."
—Laurie Notaro, NY Times bestselling author of The Idiot Girl's Action Adventure Club
"Carlip's fresh, funny memoir of growing up at celebrity's edge in Hollywood...is at once hilarious and heartbreaking."
—Publishers Weekly
"[Ms. Carlip's] curriculum vitae reads like a Cliffs Notes version of American popular culture..."
—New York Times
"Carlip has lived a life that would make Leonard Zelig jealous."
—Entertainment Weekly
