Shannen Doherty Badass Book Review

Shannen Doherty Badass Book Review

2/25/2021

Background
Shannen Doherty Book Badass is a Self Help Book published in 2010 Doherty played the iconic role of Brenda Walsh in Beverly Hills, 90210. Unfortunately she was fired in 1994 which lead the show’s decline in popularity and eventually cancellation. Tori Spelling blamed bad writing and I agree. Even the best actors can not over come bad plots and poorly written dialogue.

Book Review
I finally got around to picking up a physical copy of Shannen Doherty’s book published in 2010. I did not read it when it came out because I don’t like reading physical books. I have to read a book, which I see as a sort of punishment, I like to do it on Kindle. I can take notes and not have to worry about the book taking up space in a home filled with collectables. Shannen also enjoys collectables. This is one of the things I learned from her book. The book is not a biography and this may be why its out of print. It’s a self help book. The book is aimed towards a person who is shy and never stands up for themselves. If one is already an assertive person, I doubt the book could be of much help. Shannen collects objects she loves in her home and she suggests limiting them and not over collecting. She suggests keeping files of thing one loves. I heard this advice in the 90’s when I was taking fashion and sewing classes at community college. I was assigned to start a collection of fashion photos from magazines as well as things like samples of fabric. I took blank books and I glued in photos along with the fabric samples. This advice is now out dated as it much easier to collect and organize style and fashions with a computer. Shannen advice is certainly good in this regard, but I am not sure that just saving photos and objects one loves help to develop ones’ personal style. The goal for an actor is to develop a personal style which is unique. This trademark style could later be used marketing products to sell to fans such as Shannen Doherty’s cast mate Tori Spelling does. The problem with developing a personal style is it may make one look odd. Fashions I love may not be the best choice for my body type and size. Most people are bad judges of what clothes are flattering on themselves. I love large floral and abstract prints but they don’t look good on me. As for the monetary cost of developing a personal style this is over looked. One can find things a thrift stores and make them cheaply. But the truth is the fashion style of most Hollywood A listers are impossible to create on a budget.

As for the concept of being a badass, this book is written for women who likely do not want to known as a badass even if they are assertive. After the media began to refer to Glenn Danzig as a badass in a not very flattering way. Badass now means someone who thinks they are better and hotter or tougher then they really are. The relationship advice given in the book is don’t waste time with a boyfriend who is a jerk.

I’m amazing I could read the book and still learn almost nothing about Shannen Doherty’s life. She speaks of issues she had on the set of 90210 as if it was an abstraction that was caused by what she calls “defense mechanisms”.
This reminds me that people don’t really change much after a certain point. Being distant and aloof Shannen still does not share much of her life with the public.

The Take Away
Over sharing celebrities are tiresome. A balance is needed. I would suggest periodic short statements that do not over share. Shannen does not share enough but Tori Spelling over shares. I would rather have too much sharing then not enough. I was always can stop looking if I feel like it’s too much. Maybe the reason the book was written is rather then making a statement to define herself Shannen shows you objects she loves and talk philosophy of life and allow those to substitute for meaningful statements. Nothing in the book is meaningful or important enough to be of interest once the book is put down.