cover image Badass: A Hard-Earned Guide to Living Life with Style and (the Right) Attitude

Badass: A Hard-Earned Guide to Living Life with Style and (the Right) Attitude

Shannen Doherty. Clarkson Potter, $25.99 (256p) ISBN 978-0-307-59152-4

Doherty, better known as Brenda Walsh to Beverly Hill, 90210 diehards, proffers her guide to good%E2%80%94i.e. "badass"%E2%80%94living in this breezy, easy volume. She wants to bypass the typical Hollywood tell-all, but cannot entirely ignore her once-difficult reputation either. "I wasn't always as gracious as I certainly should have been...Hubris could have been my middle name back in that not-so-distant era." As a self-described badass, defined by Doherty as someone who remains true to herself no matter what, she sets out to claim the word as her brand and dish advice to fans who aim to follow her path. Among her tart gems: "A badass is never a bitch, but a bitch can become a badass%E2%80%93if she really wants to and really tries." Further discussions on "makeup and manicures," "motels and movies," as well as earnest tips on home decor, fashion and entertaining prove lighthearted and ultimately inconsequential. And "Mismatched chairs are masterpieces waiting to happen," or "Costco has a great selection of wines for not a lot of money" will make some readers wonder if an Apartment Therapy: Badass Edition is waiting in the wings. Softly lit, flattering candids of the photogenic actress scattered throughout never let the reader forget that this project is based first and foremost in vanity. Photos. (Nov.)