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sTORI Telling
The star of Beverly Hills 90210 offers a hilarious, insightful memoir about growing up on America’s favorite teen drama and her life after the show.
She was television's most famous virgin—and, as Aaron Spelling's daughter, arguably its most famous case of nepotism. Portraying Donna Martin on Beverly Hills, 90210, Tori Spelling became one of the most recognizable young actresses of her generation, with a not-so-private personal life every bit as fascinating as her character's exploits. Yet years later the name Tori Spelling too often closed—and sometimes slammed—the same doors it had opened.
sTORI telling is Tori's chance to finally tell her side of the tabloid-worthy life she's led, and she talks about it all: her decadent childhood birthday parties, her nose job, her fairy-tale wedding to the wrong man, her so-called feud with her mother. Tori has already revealed her flair for brilliant, self-effacing satire on her VH1 show So NoTORIous and Oxygen's Tori & Dean: Inn Love, but her memoir goes deeper, into the real life behind the rumors: her complicated relationship with her parents; her struggles as an actress after 90210; her accident-prone love life; and, ultimately, her quest to define herself on her own terms.
From her over-the-top first wedding to finding new love to her much-publicized—and misunderstood—"disinheritance," sTORI telling is a juicy, eye-opening, enthralling look at what it really means to be Tori Spelling.
She was television's most famous virgin—and, as Aaron Spelling's daughter, arguably its most famous case of nepotism. Portraying Donna Martin on Beverly Hills, 90210, Tori Spelling became one of the most recognizable young actresses of her generation, with a not-so-private personal life every bit as fascinating as her character's exploits. Yet years later the name Tori Spelling too often closed—and sometimes slammed—the same doors it had opened.
sTORI telling is Tori's chance to finally tell her side of the tabloid-worthy life she's led, and she talks about it all: her decadent childhood birthday parties, her nose job, her fairy-tale wedding to the wrong man, her so-called feud with her mother. Tori has already revealed her flair for brilliant, self-effacing satire on her VH1 show So NoTORIous and Oxygen's Tori & Dean: Inn Love, but her memoir goes deeper, into the real life behind the rumors: her complicated relationship with her parents; her struggles as an actress after 90210; her accident-prone love life; and, ultimately, her quest to define herself on her own terms.
From her over-the-top first wedding to finding new love to her much-publicized—and misunderstood—"disinheritance," sTORI telling is a juicy, eye-opening, enthralling look at what it really means to be Tori Spelling.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published March 11, 2008
164 people are currently reading
3656 people want to read
About the author
Tori Spelling
10 books338 followersVictoria Davey "Tori" Spelling is an American actress. She is known for being Aaron Spelling's daughter and for her role as Donna Martin in the 1990s teen soap opera Beverly Hills, 90210.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,772 reviews
April 9, 2008
Ok, I know I am admitting here on this public forum, that I, a Librarian, have read the biography of Tori Spelling and thoroughly enjoyed it. Do I feel guilty about it? You bet. I know I should be reading the greats – Tolstoy, Austen, Dickens. They are heavy meals worthy of consumption. But then there are times when you just want to scarf down a dozen donuts – that’s what reading sTORI Telling was for me without all the nasty calories and only a little guilt.
On the remote chance you don’t know who Tori Spelling is allow me to enlighten you. She is the daughter of the late great television producer Aaron Spelling and played virginal Donna Martin in the television drama Beverly Hills 90210. Ok, I’ll admit it. I have seen every episode of 90210 – that’s 10 years of episodes! She’s gone on to do other things, especially made-for-TV movies (that even I wouldn’t watch!), but she’ll always be known as the daughter of Aaron Spelling who was on his show 90210 and who has been tabloid fodder ever since (I never read tabloids! Really!).
Though the book is touted as revealing all of the secrets of the goings-on on the set of 90210 and in her private life, it really is a book that reads like a conversation with a close girlfriend. It starts with Tori’s early years with the over-the-top birthday parties and Halloween costumes through the years where she had to struggle to overcome having such a famous name. Just to give you some insight into the book, there are chapters called, “They Hated Me at Hello”, “Strings Attached (or Why I Didn’t Notice That I Shouldn’t Be Getting Married” and my favorite “Is That a Knife in Your Purse or Are You Just Glad to See Me?”. You learn through reading the book, which some could see as just another “Poor Little Rich Girl” tale, that Tori’s a regular person with a really interesting life. She’s had problems with money and with her mother and with irrational fears. It was humanizing to read about her struggle with ODC. She loves her dogs and her second husband and, just like all of us, wants to be successful on her own without help from her parents.
I find the interactions between her and her mother especially intriguing. When Tori was 12 and all dressed up for a family portrait, she asked her mother, “Am I pretty?” Her mother responded with “You will be when we get your nose done.” Throughout the book there are plenty of other examples of her mother’s “sweetness”. To anyone that has watched 90210 with any regularity, you will know that Tori’s character on the program also had an uneasy relationship with her mother. Though Tori doesn’t say so in the book, it does leave you wondering if her real mother was the pattern the writers for the show followed. It is also notable that her father on the show was very sympathetic – did the fact that the producer of the show was Tori’s father have any bearing on this too?
I am in no way saying read this book and forget all about the Dostoevskys and James Joyces out there. But every now and then it’s nice to put aside the Lobster Newburg and opt for a donut with pink icing. That’s this book.
On the remote chance you don’t know who Tori Spelling is allow me to enlighten you. She is the daughter of the late great television producer Aaron Spelling and played virginal Donna Martin in the television drama Beverly Hills 90210. Ok, I’ll admit it. I have seen every episode of 90210 – that’s 10 years of episodes! She’s gone on to do other things, especially made-for-TV movies (that even I wouldn’t watch!), but she’ll always be known as the daughter of Aaron Spelling who was on his show 90210 and who has been tabloid fodder ever since (I never read tabloids! Really!).
Though the book is touted as revealing all of the secrets of the goings-on on the set of 90210 and in her private life, it really is a book that reads like a conversation with a close girlfriend. It starts with Tori’s early years with the over-the-top birthday parties and Halloween costumes through the years where she had to struggle to overcome having such a famous name. Just to give you some insight into the book, there are chapters called, “They Hated Me at Hello”, “Strings Attached (or Why I Didn’t Notice That I Shouldn’t Be Getting Married” and my favorite “Is That a Knife in Your Purse or Are You Just Glad to See Me?”. You learn through reading the book, which some could see as just another “Poor Little Rich Girl” tale, that Tori’s a regular person with a really interesting life. She’s had problems with money and with her mother and with irrational fears. It was humanizing to read about her struggle with ODC. She loves her dogs and her second husband and, just like all of us, wants to be successful on her own without help from her parents.
I find the interactions between her and her mother especially intriguing. When Tori was 12 and all dressed up for a family portrait, she asked her mother, “Am I pretty?” Her mother responded with “You will be when we get your nose done.” Throughout the book there are plenty of other examples of her mother’s “sweetness”. To anyone that has watched 90210 with any regularity, you will know that Tori’s character on the program also had an uneasy relationship with her mother. Though Tori doesn’t say so in the book, it does leave you wondering if her real mother was the pattern the writers for the show followed. It is also notable that her father on the show was very sympathetic – did the fact that the producer of the show was Tori’s father have any bearing on this too?
I am in no way saying read this book and forget all about the Dostoevskys and James Joyces out there. But every now and then it’s nice to put aside the Lobster Newburg and opt for a donut with pink icing. That’s this book.
July 13, 2008
Most people probably will look at this book and think, "Why on Earth would I want to read about Tori Spelling's life? She's just another celebrity who has it easy." My answer to that would be this: "Spelling's book is not what you think. It's genuine, hilarious, touching, and you may miss out on a pretty decent read if you pass it up."
Tori Spelling pretty much lays all her cards on the table in this memoir. To be perfectly honest, it's quite refreshing to see a celebrity who is not afraid to let people see the "real" person that they are. I picked this book up on a whim, and I'm glad I did. Spelling has a way with humor that is hard to beat, and, no, her life really and truly hasn't been that easy. She has had her fair share of trials and tribulations, just like any other person in this world. While reading this book, I found myself thinking that the acts of authoring and releasing this book must have been very healing for her. (Read the book and you'll know what I mean by that statement.)
Give this book a shot - Tori Spelling is so much more than the "daughter of Aaron Spelling."
Tori Spelling pretty much lays all her cards on the table in this memoir. To be perfectly honest, it's quite refreshing to see a celebrity who is not afraid to let people see the "real" person that they are. I picked this book up on a whim, and I'm glad I did. Spelling has a way with humor that is hard to beat, and, no, her life really and truly hasn't been that easy. She has had her fair share of trials and tribulations, just like any other person in this world. While reading this book, I found myself thinking that the acts of authoring and releasing this book must have been very healing for her. (Read the book and you'll know what I mean by that statement.)
Give this book a shot - Tori Spelling is so much more than the "daughter of Aaron Spelling."
March 10, 2008
like you, i hated donna martin for the first few seasons of 90210. mostly because she has really weird cleavage, and no one ever talked about it. picture a cutout area the shape of a squash, with its round bottom sitting on her chest. tori spelling's cleavage. this never detracted from her popularity at the fictitious beverly hill's high school. if she'd gone to my high school, everyone would have called her ole squash boobs and filled her locker with vegetables.
however, i grew to like her in later seasons and when she was making tv movies, she was making exactly the kind of tv movies that i liked to watch. i watched "so noTORIous" last winter and absolutely loved the show. it was hilarious.
i kept hearing it billed as having some super big secret, and i'm not sure what that was. i, for one, didn't know that she was on again off again with brian austin green while she was on the show. [she also says that everyone in the cast of 90210 hooked up with everyone else in 90210. i'm glad i never saw the after effects of mr. walsh and andrea zuckerman.:]
i'd have liked to see more about 90210 ... that segment ends quickly and with a sentence that gave me goosebumps: the tenth season would be 90210's last.
she also spends a lot of the book driving home the point that her mom is cold and a control freak. the book is fine. pretty watered down and often repetitious. i think "so noTORIous" -- which was based loosely on her life -- was a more entertaining version of her story.
that said, i remain a fan and i programmed tivo to record anything with her name on it.
however, i grew to like her in later seasons and when she was making tv movies, she was making exactly the kind of tv movies that i liked to watch. i watched "so noTORIous" last winter and absolutely loved the show. it was hilarious.
i kept hearing it billed as having some super big secret, and i'm not sure what that was. i, for one, didn't know that she was on again off again with brian austin green while she was on the show. [she also says that everyone in the cast of 90210 hooked up with everyone else in 90210. i'm glad i never saw the after effects of mr. walsh and andrea zuckerman.:]
i'd have liked to see more about 90210 ... that segment ends quickly and with a sentence that gave me goosebumps: the tenth season would be 90210's last.
she also spends a lot of the book driving home the point that her mom is cold and a control freak. the book is fine. pretty watered down and often repetitious. i think "so noTORIous" -- which was based loosely on her life -- was a more entertaining version of her story.
that said, i remain a fan and i programmed tivo to record anything with her name on it.
July 13, 2010
This turned out to be a surprisingly good memoir. I’m not much of a memoir reader because I don’t like heavy narration, but you never feel weighed down by it in this book. I wanted to read the book mostly for the 90210 dirt (lol!) and yes there was some of that but there was a lot more too that grabbed my interest and kept me reading.
Spelling chronicles her childhood up to her marriage with current husband Dean. The book is generally well-divided so that ample time is spent talking about her childhood, teenage years and early adulthood. The book goes up to when she had her first baby Liam. It starts out with a “grass is always greener on the other side” tone but then as she tells her story you come to realize that her childhood and teenage years especially were more of what her mother wanted instead of what she may have wanted. She talks about how she doesn’t like confrontations, is quite shy and how she tried time and again to change and be more assertive but it rarely lasted. Many times you can feel her fear or her desire to just keep everyone smiling so that no one gets mad at her. She pokes fun at herself throughout the book which is what helps the reader identify with some parts of her life or at least be able to appreciate her situation instead of thinking “oh yeah, Tori Spelling, really hard life there”. True, financially she had everything she sort of wanted but there was such pettiness and downright meanness from her mother that it’s a wonder she just didn’t curl up and disappear or spiral into some kind of addiction or other. My hat’s off to her for being so tenacious and doing everything in her power to get what she wanted out of life.
The memoir is written almost like she’s having a conversation with you and telling you about her life the way you would catch up with a long lost friend. It’s funny at times as well as sad. Early on I wondered why she felt the need to air her “dirty laundry” for the whole world to see, but then she goes to explain that so many things have been written about her she just wanted to tell the stories from her point of view. She’s no flighty dumb blond either. Yes she made mistakes which she acknowledges and really she says she was just very naive at times. She never blames the press either saying that they’re just doing their job and it’s up to the individual to be vigilant which she learned the hard way. If anything her name was more of a hindrance to everything from having friends to holding down a job in acting. There are a lot of “jibes” at her mother who must not have been the best kind of mother around and that’s putting it mildly. Some things that woman did just break your heart and leave you wondering “why?”.
I found the chapter on her first marriage somewhat long winded but after getting through it you certainly have an understanding of why she married the guy. Like anyone’s life she’s had her ups and downs with crazy family members and not so nice friends and that’s pretty much what she’s trying to say.
As far as memoirs go this was very readable. If you’re interested in Tori Spelling’s life up to her early thirties or just an interesting memoir, I’d certainly recommend giving this a shot.
Spelling chronicles her childhood up to her marriage with current husband Dean. The book is generally well-divided so that ample time is spent talking about her childhood, teenage years and early adulthood. The book goes up to when she had her first baby Liam. It starts out with a “grass is always greener on the other side” tone but then as she tells her story you come to realize that her childhood and teenage years especially were more of what her mother wanted instead of what she may have wanted. She talks about how she doesn’t like confrontations, is quite shy and how she tried time and again to change and be more assertive but it rarely lasted. Many times you can feel her fear or her desire to just keep everyone smiling so that no one gets mad at her. She pokes fun at herself throughout the book which is what helps the reader identify with some parts of her life or at least be able to appreciate her situation instead of thinking “oh yeah, Tori Spelling, really hard life there”. True, financially she had everything she sort of wanted but there was such pettiness and downright meanness from her mother that it’s a wonder she just didn’t curl up and disappear or spiral into some kind of addiction or other. My hat’s off to her for being so tenacious and doing everything in her power to get what she wanted out of life.
The memoir is written almost like she’s having a conversation with you and telling you about her life the way you would catch up with a long lost friend. It’s funny at times as well as sad. Early on I wondered why she felt the need to air her “dirty laundry” for the whole world to see, but then she goes to explain that so many things have been written about her she just wanted to tell the stories from her point of view. She’s no flighty dumb blond either. Yes she made mistakes which she acknowledges and really she says she was just very naive at times. She never blames the press either saying that they’re just doing their job and it’s up to the individual to be vigilant which she learned the hard way. If anything her name was more of a hindrance to everything from having friends to holding down a job in acting. There are a lot of “jibes” at her mother who must not have been the best kind of mother around and that’s putting it mildly. Some things that woman did just break your heart and leave you wondering “why?”.
I found the chapter on her first marriage somewhat long winded but after getting through it you certainly have an understanding of why she married the guy. Like anyone’s life she’s had her ups and downs with crazy family members and not so nice friends and that’s pretty much what she’s trying to say.
As far as memoirs go this was very readable. If you’re interested in Tori Spelling’s life up to her early thirties or just an interesting memoir, I’d certainly recommend giving this a shot.
June 25, 2008
This is really a smartly written book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and it's a great read. Tori is very candid in here and seems honest throughout. She doesn't pull any punches when it comes to talking about her relationships with her parents (especially her mother) and her collegues and the press and almost everyone else.
She starts off talking about her childhood and the dolls given to her each and every birthday that were really more for her mothers pleasure than for Tori herself. To some people she might sound brattish and spoilt, but she admits that she is fully aware that the average reader of her book might think "She wanted one car, but her parents gave her a different, more expensive care. The poor thing.", but she goes on to explain that her parents never bought her things that she would care for; it was more about what they wanted. She tells about how her best memory of her dad when she was a little girl, is helping scoop poop from their lawn. It was always the little things she loved and cared about more than the flashier things.
She talks a little bit about Shannen Doherty and what she and the other 90210 cast mates thought about her, Tori's abusive relationships, trying to get roles on her own merit, her first marriage and her second and the birth of her son Liam. All the things you might want to know about her are in here and it really is an interesting read and not totally superficial. I enjoyed it a lot and hope you do as well.
She starts off talking about her childhood and the dolls given to her each and every birthday that were really more for her mothers pleasure than for Tori herself. To some people she might sound brattish and spoilt, but she admits that she is fully aware that the average reader of her book might think "She wanted one car, but her parents gave her a different, more expensive care. The poor thing.", but she goes on to explain that her parents never bought her things that she would care for; it was more about what they wanted. She tells about how her best memory of her dad when she was a little girl, is helping scoop poop from their lawn. It was always the little things she loved and cared about more than the flashier things.
She talks a little bit about Shannen Doherty and what she and the other 90210 cast mates thought about her, Tori's abusive relationships, trying to get roles on her own merit, her first marriage and her second and the birth of her son Liam. All the things you might want to know about her are in here and it really is an interesting read and not totally superficial. I enjoyed it a lot and hope you do as well.
December 5, 2008
Not the most challenging read ever, but kind of interesting to hear about her life. She seems very down to Earth and fairly normal. I haven't watched any of her reality shows, but my Mom said it's fun to watch the shows, then read the book, because there are cross-over 'characters' that show up in each.
The more I read this book, the less I like it. As I continue on, Tori is starting to jump around in the chronology of events, and sometimes her thoughts seem a bit scattered. There have been multiple occassions where I have to go back and reread a passage, sometimes several times, to understand exactly what she's saying. Still, the book provides an interesting look at a completely different world, one which seems to be perfect, but instead is ridden with problems and struggles common to many.
The more I read this book, the less I like it. As I continue on, Tori is starting to jump around in the chronology of events, and sometimes her thoughts seem a bit scattered. There have been multiple occassions where I have to go back and reread a passage, sometimes several times, to understand exactly what she's saying. Still, the book provides an interesting look at a completely different world, one which seems to be perfect, but instead is ridden with problems and struggles common to many.
September 25, 2008
I'd been wanting to read this book forever, but was actually a little embarrassed to admit it. I have to say, though, that it was a REALLY good read, especially if you're a fan of 90210. Tori comes across the same way she does on her Oxygen show, actually very down to earth and self deprecating. Definitely worth a read if you like celebrity memoirs.
December 30, 2017
I was never a big fan of Tori Spelling until I read this book. Now I love her! This was a great book about her life, and I learned that we should never assume things about people.
March 31, 2009
I loved this book! I was a big 90210 fan and would plan my weeks around the new episodes. Tori Spelling was never my favorite character, but I followed the tabloids nonetheless.
I applaud her for putting her life out there and finally doing what she wanted to do!
This book is such a fun, easy read. Its like having a conversation with her.
I applaud her for putting her life out there and finally doing what she wanted to do!
This book is such a fun, easy read. Its like having a conversation with her.
June 7, 2009
I've had this sitting around for months and probably wouldn't have read it for many more if my younger sister hadn't read it and liked it a lot. That being said, I'm glad I read it and I did like it. I'm not in any way embarrassed for wanting to read it and having read it.
Tori Spelling is living a life most of us will never ever catch a glimpse of- of course people want to know more about her. My main reason for wanting to read this is because I did always get the sense that she was more down to earth than most celebs. I also wanted to know what her childhood was like because even most high profile celebs don't have as much money as her Daddy did.
I enjoyed learning about Aaron Spelling most I think, behind her childhood stories and her relationship with Dean McDermott. Her mother is pretty close to pure evil and I was able to feel that out years ago- she looks like a block of ice and always has. Some of the situations and conversations that Tori wrote about between her and her mother almost seemed unreal- if you didn't look closely that is. I believe every word she said about her mother (as well as the rest of the book really) and I'd love for Candy to write her own. It's a shame that this woman had so, so much in terms of pretty much everything and still acted/acts like a spoiled brat.
I have to admit, as down to earth as she seems to be, she does try to make herself more down to earth and more normal. I can understand that and don't hold it against her but anyone with her childhood isn't going to be as normal as the girl next door. It just isn't happening. She also works hard at her sense of humor. That wasn't flowing like it was natural at all. I think that goes hand in hand with her trying to make herself portrayed as an everyday girl.
I find it a little disconcerting that she actually mentioned Dean's nose in the book in reference to future children. She obviously was affected quite deeply from her own mothers feelings on her nose yet she still seems to put an emphasis on noses because she "had the gene pool of my future children to think about." She goes on to tell how Dean's nose if fine so therefore it's all good. I guess she thinks that her nose job affected her gene pool? Tucked down deep in her own gene pool there isn't a cute little button nose- there is the original nose which she wasn't very happy with at all. Maybe she hadn't realized this at the time of writing. Perhaps.
There were a few *small* discrepancies like when she talked about her room in Ottawa- she mentioned how it wasn't up to par with what she was used to, what she expected, etc. Then she states that she prefered Dean's room because it was smaller. Okay.
I do also feel the need to mention, since I often joke about my undiagnosed OCD, that OCD doesn't always mean having feelings for a pea left on your plate, feeling like that pea needs a friend, etc. I think that's at one end of the spectrum of OCD- at least in my experience. As of yet, I don't pair my ashtrays so they'll feel together and my mac & cheese noodles can be alone also. Hopefully it'll stay that way.
This is kind of unreal but I promise you, this is in the book. In one paragraph she went from saying that she's "satisfied" with "spending $25.00 on a sundress at Forever 21." (For those who don't know Forever 21 is a store where one article fo clothing can be bought for about $5.00 and they typically fall apart after one wash and wear.)
But.......she can still afford Christian Louboutin shoes. (This paragraph was in essence trying to make sure everyone knew how far she had come towards being a "normal girl" once again.)
Last but not least, I just wanted to point out how absolutely "telling" (haha....) it is that the first person she thanks in her acknowledgments is her Father. The second person is........her Nanny. Then, the third person is her Mom. Her Nanny was thanked for making her "into the woman and mom I've become" and to her Mom? "we have our ups and downs but I'll always love you."
Think about the sadness she must have felt and probably still does feel to be at a place where her Mother isn't listed first or second? I think her Mother did irreparable damage to her while she grew up and from the sounds of it, she still is. Without her Nanny I think she'd have been a lot worse off and she actually says as much in the book.
I forgot to mention- the parts with her Nanny in it were also great parts- I liked reading about her and how much she gave of herself for these kids that weren't even hers.
I'd recommend for a Tori fan in a minute but not for anyone else really. I'm still looking forward to reading Mommywood soon.
Tori Spelling is living a life most of us will never ever catch a glimpse of- of course people want to know more about her. My main reason for wanting to read this is because I did always get the sense that she was more down to earth than most celebs. I also wanted to know what her childhood was like because even most high profile celebs don't have as much money as her Daddy did.
I enjoyed learning about Aaron Spelling most I think, behind her childhood stories and her relationship with Dean McDermott. Her mother is pretty close to pure evil and I was able to feel that out years ago- she looks like a block of ice and always has. Some of the situations and conversations that Tori wrote about between her and her mother almost seemed unreal- if you didn't look closely that is. I believe every word she said about her mother (as well as the rest of the book really) and I'd love for Candy to write her own. It's a shame that this woman had so, so much in terms of pretty much everything and still acted/acts like a spoiled brat.
I have to admit, as down to earth as she seems to be, she does try to make herself more down to earth and more normal. I can understand that and don't hold it against her but anyone with her childhood isn't going to be as normal as the girl next door. It just isn't happening. She also works hard at her sense of humor. That wasn't flowing like it was natural at all. I think that goes hand in hand with her trying to make herself portrayed as an everyday girl.
I find it a little disconcerting that she actually mentioned Dean's nose in the book in reference to future children. She obviously was affected quite deeply from her own mothers feelings on her nose yet she still seems to put an emphasis on noses because she "had the gene pool of my future children to think about." She goes on to tell how Dean's nose if fine so therefore it's all good. I guess she thinks that her nose job affected her gene pool? Tucked down deep in her own gene pool there isn't a cute little button nose- there is the original nose which she wasn't very happy with at all. Maybe she hadn't realized this at the time of writing. Perhaps.
There were a few *small* discrepancies like when she talked about her room in Ottawa- she mentioned how it wasn't up to par with what she was used to, what she expected, etc. Then she states that she prefered Dean's room because it was smaller. Okay.
I do also feel the need to mention, since I often joke about my undiagnosed OCD, that OCD doesn't always mean having feelings for a pea left on your plate, feeling like that pea needs a friend, etc. I think that's at one end of the spectrum of OCD- at least in my experience. As of yet, I don't pair my ashtrays so they'll feel together and my mac & cheese noodles can be alone also. Hopefully it'll stay that way.
This is kind of unreal but I promise you, this is in the book. In one paragraph she went from saying that she's "satisfied" with "spending $25.00 on a sundress at Forever 21." (For those who don't know Forever 21 is a store where one article fo clothing can be bought for about $5.00 and they typically fall apart after one wash and wear.)
But.......she can still afford Christian Louboutin shoes. (This paragraph was in essence trying to make sure everyone knew how far she had come towards being a "normal girl" once again.)
Last but not least, I just wanted to point out how absolutely "telling" (haha....) it is that the first person she thanks in her acknowledgments is her Father. The second person is........her Nanny. Then, the third person is her Mom. Her Nanny was thanked for making her "into the woman and mom I've become" and to her Mom? "we have our ups and downs but I'll always love you."
Think about the sadness she must have felt and probably still does feel to be at a place where her Mother isn't listed first or second? I think her Mother did irreparable damage to her while she grew up and from the sounds of it, she still is. Without her Nanny I think she'd have been a lot worse off and she actually says as much in the book.
I forgot to mention- the parts with her Nanny in it were also great parts- I liked reading about her and how much she gave of herself for these kids that weren't even hers.
I'd recommend for a Tori fan in a minute but not for anyone else really. I'm still looking forward to reading Mommywood soon.
June 23, 2008
Even as Tori Spelling grates on my nerves, I can't resist keeping track of what's going on in her life - her dishy sitcom, her tawdry hook-up with current husband Dean McDermott, and her painfully scripted "reality" show. I also couldn't resist this autobiography, which is one of the first dishy, tell-all books in Spelling's (and my) generation. However, this book was less about Spelling's acting experiences and her famous co-stars as it was about growing up rich and under the thumb of her controlling and oppressive mother, Candy Spelling. If Spelling's family really operates the way she's described it, I do have sympathy for her. I imagine that all the money in the world doesn't make up for having a mother who never thinks you're good enough.
I was also interested in how Spelling would address her current relationship with husband Dean McDermott. They met on the set of a TV movie when both were married to other people, McDermott with two children. Spelling does share all the gory details and seems to try to convey some regret for the way it all went down, but ultimately (of course) I believe she expects the readers to understand and support why she did what she did. Her first marriage was all wrong, and when she met Dean it was true luuuuuv, so the choice to be with him sounds obvious. I can't help it; the whole thing still leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
Overall though, a good, fast read. BTW, Tori has a couple of psychic experiences and they are hilarious. They, plus a few delicious tidbits of Hollywood gossip, made this book a worthwhile read.
I was also interested in how Spelling would address her current relationship with husband Dean McDermott. They met on the set of a TV movie when both were married to other people, McDermott with two children. Spelling does share all the gory details and seems to try to convey some regret for the way it all went down, but ultimately (of course) I believe she expects the readers to understand and support why she did what she did. Her first marriage was all wrong, and when she met Dean it was true luuuuuv, so the choice to be with him sounds obvious. I can't help it; the whole thing still leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
Overall though, a good, fast read. BTW, Tori has a couple of psychic experiences and they are hilarious. They, plus a few delicious tidbits of Hollywood gossip, made this book a worthwhile read.
August 22, 2009
What better way to follow up a book about a girl living in poverty in the United States than by reading a book about one of the richest girls in the United States? =) One of the skills of a good writer is that he/she can make a piece on something as mediocre as bananas seem interesting. Tori Spelling does not have that skill. But additionally, her life is not quite as eventful or extraordinary as one might think and her memoir feels much like reading a 17-year-old's diary (plain sentences and simple sentence structure, with bad overall organization and limited analysis). The most exciting scene for me was when her pet parrot attacked her, sending her and her friend running down a hallway and then hiding in the bathroom for 45 minutes while the bird repeatedly charged at the door or something. Haha, now that's funny.
It also bothered me when she justified cheating on her husband by the fact that she fell in love with Dean at first sight and her marriage was going down the drain anyway. I understand how it must suck to not love the person your married to, but at the same time, being unfaithful is a lapse in self-control and self-respect that I just cannot forgive. After all, she had the affair after only knowing Dean for one day!
So in short, this is not something worth reading. Tori Spelling may be a nice person and everything, but I doubt that this book would have any success whatsoever if it were not for her semi-stardom.
It also bothered me when she justified cheating on her husband by the fact that she fell in love with Dean at first sight and her marriage was going down the drain anyway. I understand how it must suck to not love the person your married to, but at the same time, being unfaithful is a lapse in self-control and self-respect that I just cannot forgive. After all, she had the affair after only knowing Dean for one day!
So in short, this is not something worth reading. Tori Spelling may be a nice person and everything, but I doubt that this book would have any success whatsoever if it were not for her semi-stardom.
December 17, 2010
I have a thing for Tori Spelling. If she’s starring in a Lifetime flick, I’m watching it. It’s a sickness. I've seen "Death of a Cheerleader" countless times. Never gets old. If I see that "Co-Ed Call Girl" is coming on, I think, "Should I stop what I'm doing right now and watch it or should I tape it and save it for later? Maybe both." I scare myself.
I’m surprised it took me so long to read this book. I was in a kind of denial, I guess. Didn't want to be that girl. But I am that girl, and I ate this shit up with icing.
I’m surprised it took me so long to read this book. I was in a kind of denial, I guess. Didn't want to be that girl. But I am that girl, and I ate this shit up with icing.
August 19, 2012
You should definitely judge me. I know I would.
Lots of surprises here. First, I was really surprised to see that Tori Spelling had used a ghost writer. Then I was surprised to find out that unicorns probably never even existed. I'm surprised by lots of things. Everyday is like my birthday and Christmas and Easter rolled into one.
You know, I'm not really going to review this book. It was highly entertaining. That's all. And that was enough. It feels wrong to give it the same rating I think I gave to "A Moveable Feast" and "Jude the Obscure". But, there it is.
Lots of surprises here. First, I was really surprised to see that Tori Spelling had used a ghost writer. Then I was surprised to find out that unicorns probably never even existed. I'm surprised by lots of things. Everyday is like my birthday and Christmas and Easter rolled into one.
You know, I'm not really going to review this book. It was highly entertaining. That's all. And that was enough. It feels wrong to give it the same rating I think I gave to "A Moveable Feast" and "Jude the Obscure". But, there it is.
June 28, 2014
What started out decent quickly turned into a campaign to force the reader to cry for someone that was born into a privileged life and had to *gasp* work! She constantly reminds the reader that she's not looking for sympathy and she really does have talent. There are a few cute stories but the "not whining" just kills it. 1 extra star because she has a heart but otherwise this is a big waste of time. Tori is exactly what I thought she was.
February 4, 2016
I very much enjoyed Tori's book. I've always had an interest in her and after reading her book have a new found respect for her and the things she's gone through in her life. Very excited to read the next 3!
April 22, 2009
so dumb that it was actually entertaining.
September 24, 2023
This is one of the most honest and articulate memoirs I’ve read. I actually listened to the audiobook read by the author. Tori didn’t really apologize for anything, she merely explained why things in her life were the way they were and why she did the things she did. I found this tactic smart and relatable and it definitely gave me a new, more understanding perspective on her life.
I just started middle school when 90210 aired and it became a fast favorite. The show introduced me to Tori Spelling but Brenda was my favorite character and I didn’t really think much about Tori’s character until the later years in the series. With that said, it was very interesting to read about the dynamics of the cast members.
It’s so easy for the viewers to think they know who the actors are by who they portray on a tv show. This is a huge wake up call. Not that viewers don’t know this, it’s just easy to forget. Actors are people too. Tori helps us understand the inner workings of her family, her career and her love life. While not all sunshine and roses, this memoir is a candid account and only makes me like Tori Spelling more.
I just started middle school when 90210 aired and it became a fast favorite. The show introduced me to Tori Spelling but Brenda was my favorite character and I didn’t really think much about Tori’s character until the later years in the series. With that said, it was very interesting to read about the dynamics of the cast members.
It’s so easy for the viewers to think they know who the actors are by who they portray on a tv show. This is a huge wake up call. Not that viewers don’t know this, it’s just easy to forget. Actors are people too. Tori helps us understand the inner workings of her family, her career and her love life. While not all sunshine and roses, this memoir is a candid account and only makes me like Tori Spelling more.
February 19, 2022
This was surprisingly good! Which I feel bad for saying because she says a lot in the book that most of the good reviews she got for various things expressed surprise that she had talent. There wasn't as much 90210 dirt as I hoped for, but there was some. The book is well-written and interesting and I like Tori Spelling more now than I did before I read it.
April 11, 2024
I find Tori’s lack of self awareness and odd speaking inflection to be very annoying. That said, this book was a good listen. I like Tori’s honesty and her marriage to Dean is the train wreck I just can’t turn away from.
April 20, 2020
I thought that this book would be great for hate-reading but it’s actually an enjoyable read. Thanks neighborhood little free library!
January 8, 2022
This one surprised me. I actually really liked it. It was a quick, easy, and entertaining read. A lot of gratuitous lines that bothered me, at first. Then, I kind of liked how they added personality.
August 11, 2021
Lots of thoughts. Fascinating. Somewhat poorly written, nevertheless a peep inside the privilege and conflict of Tori Spelling’s life. Feels very much like a memoir of the late aughts era.
Read
August 2, 2024don’t know why I was so obsessed head over heels highlighter ready honestly perfection / insanity
May 7, 2025
I absolutely adore this woman even more now after reading this book. everyone is so quick to judge because she's famous , you think she has it all ... all she wanted was a family to love and love her back unconditionally.
February 8, 2009
I have to admit that before I say Tori Spelling's reality show on television, I really thought she would be one of those Hollywood brat airheads. After I watched her show about the very pregnant Tori and her husband buying a bed and breakfast and trying to make it a successful business, I had a different opinion of this young actress. The "reality" part of the show was obviously a come-on to get viewers interested in watching the show. There was no way I believed that Tori Spelling, daughter of one of Hollywood's most successful television producers, really and truly needed to run a bed and breakfast in order to make money. Nevertheless, I liked Tori. I liked her voice, enjoyed seeing her relationship with her husband be tested under unusual circumstances, and discovered that she was not an airhead at all. She is probably quite a savvy businesswoman in real life.
This book describes Tori's childhood and subsequent career as the daughter of one of Hollywood's elite. Tori is able to laugh at herself which makes the book with its descriptions of incredible wealth and privilege bearable to the average person. Her life has not been all that wonderful in some ways - being the spitting image of a not overly attractive father has caused her to be criticized with great cruelty in the Hollywood press where every starlet is incredibly beautiful. Tori's relationship with her mother is obviously still strained. But the entertainment value of a look at a childhood in which having snow brought (trucked in) to your California mansion for Christmas and having your Halloween costume created by a Hollywood fashion designer is fascinating. I recommend this book to all who enjoy looking at how the other half lives, and perhaps learning a little bit more about how that life may not be as easy or as perfect as it seems from the outside.
This book describes Tori's childhood and subsequent career as the daughter of one of Hollywood's elite. Tori is able to laugh at herself which makes the book with its descriptions of incredible wealth and privilege bearable to the average person. Her life has not been all that wonderful in some ways - being the spitting image of a not overly attractive father has caused her to be criticized with great cruelty in the Hollywood press where every starlet is incredibly beautiful. Tori's relationship with her mother is obviously still strained. But the entertainment value of a look at a childhood in which having snow brought (trucked in) to your California mansion for Christmas and having your Halloween costume created by a Hollywood fashion designer is fascinating. I recommend this book to all who enjoy looking at how the other half lives, and perhaps learning a little bit more about how that life may not be as easy or as perfect as it seems from the outside.
April 25, 2008
My sister bought me this book for my birthday. It was the perfect birthday gift. She knows me well enough that I would never buy this for myself, but I was dying to read it after reading the excerpts in People magazine.
This is a fascinating read for any 90210 fan, of which I am proud to say I am one. I set my ringtone on my cell to play the theme song. Nuff said. Tori Spelling has had a tumultuous relationship with her mother. Now, the stories she retells wouldn't have gotten the attention of, say, Child Protective Services, but the relationship is dysfunctional enough to warrant thrice-weekly visits to a good Beverly Hills therapist.
The development of the relationship with her now-husband is a fascinating read. Her honesty is both refreshing and unsettling. She freely admits they were both married when they met, and it's hard to root for the relationship knowing the deception taking place. Tori's avoidance of confrontation also made me uncomfortable, probably because I am guilty of this unflattering trait.
Overall, it was a great escape from everyday life and it was surprisingly well-written and a joy to read. If you're gonna be on a beach somewhere this summer, and are a fan of all that is 90210, you'll enjoy yourself. And if you get the hardcover, you can easily slip a different book jacket over it - War and Peace, maybe?
This is a fascinating read for any 90210 fan, of which I am proud to say I am one. I set my ringtone on my cell to play the theme song. Nuff said. Tori Spelling has had a tumultuous relationship with her mother. Now, the stories she retells wouldn't have gotten the attention of, say, Child Protective Services, but the relationship is dysfunctional enough to warrant thrice-weekly visits to a good Beverly Hills therapist.
The development of the relationship with her now-husband is a fascinating read. Her honesty is both refreshing and unsettling. She freely admits they were both married when they met, and it's hard to root for the relationship knowing the deception taking place. Tori's avoidance of confrontation also made me uncomfortable, probably because I am guilty of this unflattering trait.
Overall, it was a great escape from everyday life and it was surprisingly well-written and a joy to read. If you're gonna be on a beach somewhere this summer, and are a fan of all that is 90210, you'll enjoy yourself. And if you get the hardcover, you can easily slip a different book jacket over it - War and Peace, maybe?
November 25, 2008
I confess. I’m a fan of Tori Spelling. I was a huge fan of 90210 (oh Dylan) and now my guilty pleasure is Tori’s reality show, Tori and Dean: Inn Love on Oxygen. So of course I wanted to read her autobiography. And I was not disappointed.
It’s short (276 pages with acknowledgements) but covers her childhood, the alleged feud with her mom, her first marriage, her relationship with Dean, basically it’s her side of everything we’ve seen play out in the tabloids for the past 3 years.
Her writing style is direct, she doesn’t pull any punches and it rings true to me. Also I totally appreciate how she didn’t just name drop the entire time. And I appreciated her candor about money. Her brother Randy is conspicuously absent. This isn’t a trashy tell-all. This her really her side of the story, focused primarily on the past 5 or so years. When talking about her relationship with Dean McDermott, (who was married when they met & fell in love) she says nothing negative about why his marriage broke up/wasn’t working/the custody battle basically nothing negative about his ex-wife. And I totally respect her for that. As she says, it’s not her story to tell.
All in all this book just made me like Tori more and confirmed what I’ve thought for awhile - she’s smarter than everyone gives her credit for.
It’s short (276 pages with acknowledgements) but covers her childhood, the alleged feud with her mom, her first marriage, her relationship with Dean, basically it’s her side of everything we’ve seen play out in the tabloids for the past 3 years.
Her writing style is direct, she doesn’t pull any punches and it rings true to me. Also I totally appreciate how she didn’t just name drop the entire time. And I appreciated her candor about money. Her brother Randy is conspicuously absent. This isn’t a trashy tell-all. This her really her side of the story, focused primarily on the past 5 or so years. When talking about her relationship with Dean McDermott, (who was married when they met & fell in love) she says nothing negative about why his marriage broke up/wasn’t working/the custody battle basically nothing negative about his ex-wife. And I totally respect her for that. As she says, it’s not her story to tell.
All in all this book just made me like Tori more and confirmed what I’ve thought for awhile - she’s smarter than everyone gives her credit for.
August 20, 2008
The perfect juicy summer read. Super fast. I know a lot of people have a bad perception of Tori Spelling, but she has been through a whole lot more than people realize -- and she doesn't throw a pity party about it. She owns up to her mistakes and tells her life story with refreshing, self-deprecating humor. She makes fun of herself. She seems a lot more real than some celebrities. I thoroughly enjoy this book.
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I cannot tell a lie: I like Tori Spelling! She was my favorite on 90210! I watched Inn Love: Tori & Dean.
I can't wait for this tabloid tell all ;)
sTORI telling is Tori's chance to finally tell her side of the tabloid-worthy life she's led, and she talks about it all: her decadent childhood birthday parties, her nose job, her fairy-tale wedding to the wrong man, her so-called feud with her mother. Tori has already revealed her flair for brilliant, self-effacing satire on her VH1 show So NoTORIous and Oxygen's Tori & Dean: Inn Love, but her memoir goes deeper, into the real life behind the rumors: her complicated relationship with her parents; her struggles as an actress after 90210; her accident-prone love life; and, ultimately, her quest to define herself on her own terms.
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I cannot tell a lie: I like Tori Spelling! She was my favorite on 90210! I watched Inn Love: Tori & Dean.
I can't wait for this tabloid tell all ;)
sTORI telling is Tori's chance to finally tell her side of the tabloid-worthy life she's led, and she talks about it all: her decadent childhood birthday parties, her nose job, her fairy-tale wedding to the wrong man, her so-called feud with her mother. Tori has already revealed her flair for brilliant, self-effacing satire on her VH1 show So NoTORIous and Oxygen's Tori & Dean: Inn Love, but her memoir goes deeper, into the real life behind the rumors: her complicated relationship with her parents; her struggles as an actress after 90210; her accident-prone love life; and, ultimately, her quest to define herself on her own terms.
February 13, 2016
I don't know why but I've always liked Tori Spelling. Although I grew up with (the original) 90210 I was actually indifferent towards her during that time. Since then I've seen a few of her reality shows and she seems to be an open and kind person with no more or less issues than us "regular folk". Rich or poor, famous or not, we are all just people wanting to be loved and cared about. Her honesty and willingness to put it all out there intrigued me. So I decided to pick this up while perusing biographies one day at the library and, just like on her shows, she's relateable and likeable. The only time I was lost was when she writes about her money woes. I couldn't really relate to her explanation of overspending and debt problems. Maybe it's the difference between her being raised by a Hollywood mogul and me being raised by Italian immigrants? Must be. Her problems with her mother made me extremely sad for her. On the surface they sound like they stem from money but are obviously about a much deeper disconnect. If you watched Donna Martin graduate or have an affinity for Tori you will enjoy this read.
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