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"The 26 vivid photographic portraits and accompanying narratives display the author's humor, grace and a brilliantly creative eye. Carlip's alter egos are larger than life and twice as entertaining... A hilarious, delightful, unique achievement."
—Publisher’s Weekly (Starred Review)
A comic original in the tradition of Tracey Ullman and Lily Tomlin—with Cindy Sherman's eye—Hillary Carlip transforms herself into America's most unforgettable grocery shoppers.
It's happened to all of us—we find, tucked away in the corner of our shopping cart, someone's discarded grocery list. Who's the person buying "Whole milk, heavy cream, ice cream, cheese, and Gas-Ex?" Why would someone need to write down "Coors and Oreos" on a matchbook cover? What kind of person scrawls a list on a PROZAC notepad?
Taking her clues from the items listed, the types of paper written on, the handwriting, and even misspellings ("Aunt Spray"), Hillary saw that each list—at once mundane and personal—offered an intimate peek into a complete stranger's life. She chose 26 lists and transformed herself into the imagined authors —all ages, genders, and ethnicities.
Photographer Barbara Green captured unforgettable images of Hillary portraying these shoppers at their neighborhood markets, then Hillary also wrote poignant and hilarious stories to accompany each of the unforgettable images.
After getting to know these grocery shoppers through Hillary's dedicated voyeurism, going to the supermarket will never be the same.
"Carlip's amazing transformations, intriguing characters, and mix of irreverence and compassion are hugely entertaining."
—Booklist
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