Customer Reviews

sTORI Telling

5 star:		(323)
4 star:		(94)
3 star:		(26)
2 star:		(13)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

I really enjoyed reading this book! Interestingly enough, I wasn't even a Tori Spelling fan when I bought the book. I had read an excerpt in People Magazine, and thought that Tori sounded so down-to-earth and real in the piece that I bought the book. I wasn't disappointed either. Ms. Spelling's openness and friendly manner draws the reader in completely. She describes her life's ups and downs with such frankness and humor that I even found myself laughing out loud at one point. Given how much trouble I had putting this book down, I went ahead and ordered Tori's series "So NoTORIous" to continue the fun!

I bought this book after seeing Tori Spelling in an interview. Though I wasn't familiar with her TV shows, I had never forgotten her performance in a TV-movie called "A Friend To Die For." Still, I must admit that because of her famous name, I had made some snap judgments and generally dismissed her.

Her book was a pleasant surprise, filled with unexpectedly down-to-earth recollections of a childhood defined by wealth. Not even half way through it, I was rooting for her as she described repeated attempts to get roles. Her happy-to-even-be-there attitude seems quite genuine, and in such contrast to the sense of entitlement that seeps out of the vapid, rich-girl stereotype perpetuated by the likes of Paris Hilton.

If you are at all mildly entertained by these Hollywood, fun-read books, then pick up Ms. Spelling's story. I guarantee you will find that she doesn't deserve all of the rotten tomatoes lobbed at her solely because of her famous name. In fact, I think you'll end up liking her.

Had a lot of preconceived ideas about Tori's character through the tabloids, but after reading this book, I am rid of them. Tori comes across as a normal, unspoiled girl who just happened to have been born into wealth. Like regular folk, she struggles with her mother and with insecurities concerning her appearance. Unlike normal folk, she has to deal with the stigma of her last name to get jobs in tv and movies and to be recognized as a qualified actress in her own right. I like this girl; her spirit and sense of humor touched me and made me smile throughout her honest account of her life thus far. The only downside here is in wanting to hear more from Tori. Here's hoping she'll continue telling her stories in a second book !

I read this tell all and had mixed emotions after reading this.

The little rich girl story has merit to be revealing insiders look at growning up Spelling. Those fans of the gossip rags or TMZ will find very limited things to mine for trash. Its all presented here in an honest and frankly told volume.

Tori is forthcoming on her relationship with her mother and her late father. One could say you seen this type of book genre before, in such books like Mommy Dearest (Christina Crawford) and Little Girl Lost (Barbara Hutton story). Spelling heiress Tori tends to be the nicer type of girl--the anti-PARIS and it shows in her text

It is an nteresting look at Aaron Spelling the man and the father. A man who started with a little and grew to have an empire. Tori came from a silver spoon in her mouth childhood and grew up. Whereas she learned to expend under her father's roof, it became different after he left her home...and she explains it in great detail

One of my favorite stories in the book is that Tori overspent to the amount of $50,000. Her father said "I know you are having money problems." She said yes and he gave her only five hundred dollars.

Tori talks candidly of her relation between her and her mother...her affair with second husband when she was married to her first husband...her work ideals. She is no saint, nor nice girl. However she lays it out honestly and revealing with no cop outs.

I can not say I loved this book. It did an revealing insight. However, in my opinion, just an overview of something more indepth which she should explore in her next volume

Bennet Pomerantz AUDIOWORLD

I never was a huge Tori Spelling fan and grew up watching 90210 religiously. However, reading this very personal and honest account of Tori's life thus far has turned me into a true fan. I absolutely loved this book and recommend it to anyone. I was most surprised to see how likeable Tori really is. She explains her insecurities and mishaps with humor & genuine humbleness (and I don't feel it's forced ala Tyra Banks style- "I'm just like you, believe me! Like me!").
What I found most surprising was Tori's childhood and family life. It was nothing like you'd assume and you clearly realize that the grass isn't always greener. Not everyone with money has a charmed life. The stories about her mother are unbelievable!
The format and style in which the book is written is impressive. I couldn't put it down. Great Job Tori! You're a class act!

I read this book in two days! Tori Spelling seems like the girl next door you could be best friends with! She reveals interesting details throughout.

Especially riveting is the vacant relationship she has with her emotionally remote mother. Candy Spelling has around $500 million (apparently), but she can't bring herself to have any kind of meaningful and solid relationship with her daughter. Instead she appears to like to control every aspect of her daughter's life in the only way she can - with money. She seems to have a "I'll buy you what I like, but if you don't like it you can pay for it yourself and don't expect any more help from me - ever." kind of attitude. Case in point Tori's first wedding. After reading about it, it seems that this was Candy's dream wedding - not Tori's! No wonder Tori and Dean flew off to the other side of the planet (sans Mom)to get married!

Another intersting aspect of the Spellings is that they never seemed to teach Tori any kind of normal life skills - especially how to manage money responsibly. In many ways you can see how Tori was ultimately set up for financial failure by her own parents.

The only reason why I didn't give the book 5 stars was because I felt that she skimmed over the ending - from the time she and Dean moved into the B&B. Instead she devotes pages to 'So NoTORIous'. She barely covers the B&B period in her life (which I would have liked to have read more about - there must be many funny stories that never made it onto TV). It seems as if she was in a hurry to finish the book, going on instead about how her life today is her 'normal'.

Good luck to you Tori (and Dean, Liam and 'Little Tori') and thank you for this very entertaining read!

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.

From her introspect to her sarcasm and self-deprecation, Tori Spelling writes this book as though she's telling her girlfriends-and gayfriends- a sTORI (c'mon I had to use it). Literally. You are drawn to her openness and before you know it, you've completed the book in one sitting. You root for her throughout and put the book down feeling good not only about Tori's personal growth and new found happiness, but about your own hopes and dreams.

Every human has been shaped by their experiences in life and as we learn about Tori's life experiences (childhood thru son Liam's birth) we understand better who she is and why she is.

For those of you looking for a 90210 tell-all, this isn't it. It also isn't a literary classic. But for what it is - a witty, intriguing memoir by someone we all think we know from television - it's outstanding!

sTORI TELLING by Tori Spelling certainly exceeded all expectations!

I grew up watching Tori on 90210, probably like most people. As the years went by and you kinda just saw bits and pieces of her, I unfairly assumed, "hey, she doesnt need to work, her family has millions!". Well, she proved me wrong, and she did it in such a humorous, honest & endearing way. She mentioned her book on the opening episode of "Tori & Dean: Home sweet hollywood", and I thought it sounded amazingly entertaining. People say she's horrible for saying so much-- 'how can she write all this in a book about her own mother?', but that woman is bonkers. If I had her for a mother I'd be much more screwed up then Tori Spelling. Obviously it's a book, and a certain point of view. But the way she told things didn't really vilify her mother, it just made you feel bad that a daughter was treated that way. It seemed like sometimes her parents were trying to show love thru $, control her with $, or trying to show her how they didn't like her choice or actions by withholding the $. Thats no way to form a solid unconditional loving relationship. A child learns from their parents' actions and Tori thankfully did a bang up job at correcting it later.
The book was adorable, romantic and dramatic. All you could want in a good beach read. I now look forward to watching her show on the Oxygen network even more this season. Way to go Tori!

The reason I bought this book as I wanted to find out more about the relationship between Tori and her mother. Tori was very honest and really did not trash her mother as she probably should have. She told the truth and did not comment after - she lets you draw your own opinion. And my opinion is - holy moly - I am surprised that Tori grew up as well as she did. And the reason why she grew up with values and love in her heart is due to her beloved Nanny. Candy Spelling is Joan Crawford, Mommie Dearest, without the screaming and no wire coat hangers fetish. Tori has been walking around with a knife in her back for years that her mother dear put there as many times as she had the opportunity to do so. The book is well written and interesting. Nothing is left out - all about her first marriage and then the true love of her life, Dean, and their meeting and marriage. Beautiful. We should all be so lucky to find true love as Tori and Dean. Good job, Tori.