Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #100247 in Books
• Published on: 2001-07-27
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

Customer Reviews

Fascinating and Good Quality.
I bought this book having read the other good reviews on Amazon and I have found it very useful. I am currently writing a creative piece concerning women and tattoos and this book is intelligent, thought-provoking and surprising. It is full of personal stories from women that I have found invaluable for my work. It is particularly strong on the history of women-as-tattooists and is full of good photographs. I would recommend this book to anyone who has any kind of interest in the subject.

An important history of a secret enthusiasm
Margot Mifflin's book is an amazingly well-documented and thoroughly acurate telling of the secret history of tattooed women and women tattoo artists in America. I was interviewed extensively for this subject, and throughout the year she was gathering material I watched as Mifflin's knowledge and understanding of her subject matter grew.

Contrary to another UNSIGNED review posted here, I believe the women quoted are proud to have been included and I have not heard ONE of my peers complain about it.

Many people feel that tattooing has experienced a huge upsurgence of popularity in the last decade, but until this book most will not have had the perspective to realise just how common it was for your Grandma to have slipped off to get a wicked little something, possibly a secret only she and her husband shared. It is women's willingness to boldly display their tattoos, NOT their enthuisiasm for body art, that has changed.

Margot Mifflin brought her experience as an investigator with a feminist perspective to the organization of a vast wealth of material, helped by many of the important members of the tattoo community. We knew that this was unlikely to be a book one of us would write, and it most definately needed to be written.

From the circus ladies who chose to exhibit themselves as art to the educated graphic artists of today who choose tattooing as their art medium, the women of ink are grateful.

An impotant insight into the history of women and tattoo
This is not only one of the best books on tattoo or women, but it is one of the best books I have ever read. As a student I used the book for my dissertation on women and tattoos, and it was so helpful; I haven't found another book on the subject that even comes close. The photos are great too. I agree with Pat Fish in that people do not realise that it is not that there is a surge in women having tattoos, but women are changing their attitudes in showing them. From where women had their tattoos, to how they made women money, this book looks at over 100 years of history. It is so worth buying!