Shannen Doherty BADASSA Hard-Earned Guide To Living Life With Style And (The Right) Attitude
Book Review – August 2024
What did I expect to learn about Shannen after reading this book? Is it even THAT kind of book? No. It’s not! It’s simply a book about a Gen X Badass who touches on some personal issues but then lightens the mood throughout the book with things a ‘baby’ Badass should learn or at least become familiar with to become a true Badass like Shannen herself.
After her passing, people worldwide grieved and wanted to learn more about Shannen, myself included. But why after her passing? I can only speak for myself and honestly cannot tell you why. I just knew who she was and what she did (acting). I watched her in her TV roles and a few movie roles.
I learned she had breast cancer one year after being diagnosed. I followed her on Instagram and followed her journey to beat this horrible killer. She was a light to those battling cancer, too. She was an 80’s icon (good or bad) to us Gen Xers. More importantly, she was inspiring throughout her battle with breast cancer to those with it and those without it. Make sense? And she remains inspiring even after her passing (insert a few minutes of silence as my eyes swell up with tears).
Ok. I’m all right. Now, back to it….
When you open the book and turn two pages, you’ll get a lump in your throat after seeing the stunning picture of Miss Badass herself. Again, the few minutes for the tears thing…
Two words were seen frequently throughout this book: love and integrity. Seriously! I should’ve kept count! These are two words Shannen seemed to live by. I honestly think Shannen LIVED to LOVE. She loved her family. She loved her friends. She loved to entertain and make her guests feel comfortable. She loved fashion and style. She loved red and ONLY red, never white, wine. She loved ALL THE THINGS. Honesty and one’s moral principles (integrity) were high personality traits to Shannen. If you didn’t have those, you were not in her circle. Honestly, you wouldn’t be in mine, either!
Sure, her integrity was in question at times during her younger years. She admitted that in the book. But she took the measures to gain her confidence back at being a better person to herself and to those she pushed away from being an asshole to during her rebellious times. Point blank! Shannen wasn’t perfect. Who is? If you exist, I wanna meet you, shake your hand, and give you an atta boy or an atta girl. Really. I do!
I really feel I got to know Shannen Doherty even more after reading BADASS. Keep in mind that I have never met her in person. I knew of her career and the drama that followed her as a young actor. Like, I didn’t know she was a good cook, or she had an art for stalking when it was necessary (in her eyes and mind). LMAO! I’ll NEVER do any of that nonsense.
I hope that doesn’t eliminate me from BADASS status! She was super creative and could make a piece of garbage into a sleek new something, something. You’ve heard the expression about not being able to turn a piece of poop into gold. Well, folks, Shannen could, and she shared how to do it. Cool right? Yep!
A lot of the book, I’d say, was 95% ‘how to’ or a ‘guide to’ kind of book. And that didn’t bother me at all! Not at all! Again, back to the first sentence of paragraph one, ‘What did I expect to learn about Shannen after reading this book?” A little bit of this and a little bit of that! That’s what kept me reading. Shannen hung out at dive bars and ate from taco trucks. She also shared her favorite US and overseas vacation destinations. There was a small section on relationships that I skipped quite a bit of because I lived it and learned from it: the relationship, the engagement. Yep! I should have been married by now, but so many red flags came up while dating and even more after the engagement. So I Shando BADASSED up and got out! So yea. I know the do’s and don’ts of a relationship. So, onto the next section I went.
As a professional graphic designer, I can admit that I love all the pictures in the book. They capture the moment Shannen spoke of. The images are not too vibrant but ‘muted’ to give that authentic look and feel. They’re also a visual of Shannen in her life and the moment. For instance, in the picture on page 179 of her lighting a candle in her refuge, her home is beautiful. It shows how she lived and how careful and creative she was making her home HER home. And what I wouldn’t give to have attended one of her dinner parties. GEESH! Her red wine list is fantastic.
I’ll definitely try one or two, maybe all, if I can find them. There were a few points in the book that made me laugh. One is her explanation of the charade rules: “Keep your mouth shut while trying to act out something.” I checked the book out of the library, so I took photos of some of the pages, which include her wine list and recipes. I do not own a copy, and it looks like I may never own one (insert sad face emoji here).
Well, folks. Nearly two pages in, I should end this piece. Yes. I teared up a few times writing this. I didn’t ugly cry but came close. I’m glad I thought to search for this book. I’m an assistant librarian, so it was easy to search for it. Our library system only has two BADASS books in it. I was lucky to have taken one with me to read while on the beach, which I learned was one of her favorite places.
It took me four hours, some people watching, and some sunburns, but I read it entirely through. I can literally hear her reading it to me. Casts from BH90210 and Charmed are to be in Chicago over the August 16th weekend. Yes, Shannen was scheduled to be there. And I would’ve been there, too. It would’ve been AMAZING to have met Shannen!
Shannen was three years older than me. She was my TV ‘big sister’ growing up. I’ve seen others claiming the same on social media sites as well. Shannen was someone a lot of people looked up to, even more so when she was diagnosed with breast cancer and fought fearlessly. I was ecstatic when it went into remission. But then it came back. DAMNIT! We all (in general) followed her journey. She shared it well on her Instagram. I had no idea she had a podcast I still cannot bring myself to listen to.
I had no idea she was in the middle of a divorce. I think after I saw the cancer was in remission, I felt relieved and thought, “Awesome. Let Shannen do her thing now,” and just moved on. But I saw a post on my friend’s Facebook wall that said, ‘RIP Shannen Doherty.” I quickly researched this to see if it was true. Yes. It was! I literally started to cry as I am now typing this sentence.
I took to social media to share my condolences and to grieve with others after losing my childhood woman crush. Yep! I said what I said! Her July People magazine issue is framed in my office. I 3D printed a memorial magnet with the date she was gifted to us and the date she flew high to the angels.
You were so misunderstood. But above all, you were loved, admired, and inspiring.
Rest in peace, BADASS. Keep shining your light.