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.


A DEFINITE MUST-HAVE!   August 4, 2000
 20 out of 20 found this review helpful

As a heavily tattooed woman, I am constantly searching out the archives for great books regarding the subject. I've read some pathetically boooooring books in my day, but not only was this book exciting, but incredibly accurate as well. I particularly enjoyed the vintage photos of the earliest women to experience the needle...I am a first-hand example of familiarity with the stigma attached to beautiful women with beautiful tats, I can't even imagine the stigma held in the early 1900's...A great read for females AS WELL AS MALES just looking to brush up on some inkin' history or seeking out a career in the industry...


The Best Tattoo Book For Women   June 27, 2002
 15 out of 15 found this review helpful

As a relatively newly tattooed woman, I have embraced the culture and am looking to learn more about it. This book showed me what it was like for women with tattoos through the ages. The book is extremely well written and researched and the photos are fabulous. If you are a woman who has tattoos or is thinking about getting one, I highly recommend this book. I work in an extremely conservative environment and was brought up to believe tattoos are evil and dirty, so I struggled with my decision to get my tattoos, but this book not only made me feel more comfortable with my decision, it helped me with new ideas for my backpiece :)


Interesting info on two fascinating subjects   April 20, 2003
 8 out of 9 found this review helpful

Ok, I love women and I love tattoos. While my "woman" history is nobody's business but my own, I can say that I got my first tattoo at age 52 (8 years ago--you do the math) and now have a body full. Early on in my tat career, I devoured every book and mag I could find, looking for ideas (some would say "validation") and, frankly,got tired of the semi-salacious boob shots. I KNEW there was more to it than that (not that I mind boob shots, but that's another review)and this book really tells the story. While every woman under 40, and a good many over 50, that I meet has ink somewhere on her body these days, this book discusses the historical precedents in interesting and informative ways. It won't convert a "tattoo hater", and it won't be even remotely interesting to someone who isn't fascinated by tats, but those of us who are decorated MUST have this one in the library, betweenThe Tattooed Woman and Masters of Tattoo.


One of the Best Books I've Ever Read!   August 28, 1998
 5 out of 7 found this review helpful

This book was fascinating : it documented women and tattooing for 100 years. It was an illistrated guide to the signifigance of tattoos to women and society, how and when tattooing came into style and why. It was one of the best books I have ever read! If you are a strong woman, love tattoos, or both, you will definately like this book!