You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
19 reviews for:
Bodies of Subversion: A Secret History of Women and Tattoo, Third Edition
Margot Mifflin
3.93 AVERAGE
19 reviews for:
Bodies of Subversion: A Secret History of Women and Tattoo, Third Edition
Margot Mifflin
3.93 AVERAGE
The stories of female tattoo artists are interesting, but the overall history of tattooed women--from circus acts to today--is kind of slight. It almost comes across as more of a picture book of tattooed ladies.
This book is a fast read with mentions of tons of figures in the tattoo community with accompanying pictures. It also offers some analysis of trends in female tattoo designs and fashions. As well, it looks at the challenges female tattooists have faced over the years and how the culture has changed today. I quite enjoyed it but am thirsty to find out so much more. I wish the book was three times as long with more pictures of the people she mentioned and more in depth looks at certain women's histories.
2.5/5
I was rather surprised to see that my local county library had a copy of this, and seeing as how it'd been on my TBR for the last decade, it was best to snatch it up before it got belatedly weeded. Since adding this, I've racked up some more ink and split off from the gendered straitjacket, so some of this info was interesting and some of it was needlessly essentialist. The details regarding Victorian bluebloods (including various members of royalty) being inked were the most engaging, and I did appreciate Mifflin's efforts to comment on the fraught colonial/postcolonial relationship tattooing continues to have as the structures of imperialism shift in methodology but not in intent. However, it was rather trite to weigh down women with 'dainty' and 'gentle' and 'flowing' descriptors and then complain about certain representatives who 'went along' with stereotypes, as if a jail cell could redeemed so long as the bars were covered up with flowers and gift wrap. There was also some jarring moments of repetition, which I understand is more normal in a coffee table book but, if you are going to put together a material that folks are able to read from start to finish, you have to account for those who are going to do exactly that. All in all, good intent mixed with okay commentary and some pictures that are mostly cool, some remarkable, on the amazing to why was that included scale. I'm just glad I didn't have to pay 40 bucks in order to read it.
I was rather surprised to see that my local county library had a copy of this, and seeing as how it'd been on my TBR for the last decade, it was best to snatch it up before it got belatedly weeded. Since adding this, I've racked up some more ink and split off from the gendered straitjacket, so some of this info was interesting and some of it was needlessly essentialist. The details regarding Victorian bluebloods (including various members of royalty) being inked were the most engaging, and I did appreciate Mifflin's efforts to comment on the fraught colonial/postcolonial relationship tattooing continues to have as the structures of imperialism shift in methodology but not in intent. However, it was rather trite to weigh down women with 'dainty' and 'gentle' and 'flowing' descriptors and then complain about certain representatives who 'went along' with stereotypes, as if a jail cell could redeemed so long as the bars were covered up with flowers and gift wrap. There was also some jarring moments of repetition, which I understand is more normal in a coffee table book but, if you are going to put together a material that folks are able to read from start to finish, you have to account for those who are going to do exactly that. All in all, good intent mixed with okay commentary and some pictures that are mostly cool, some remarkable, on the amazing to why was that included scale. I'm just glad I didn't have to pay 40 bucks in order to read it.
A bit preachy and repetitive at times, but full of really interesting into. I'd love to get my hands on the recently-updated edition, but I couldn't get it through ILL. It will be interesting to see what the author thinks of all that's happened since the 90s.
This was a really neat and beautifully illustrated history of tattooed women and women who tattoo. I can think of about three people I'd like to get this for.
informative
super informative with plenty of beautiful illustrations and photographs from the mentioned time periods
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault
This was one of those interesting-but-boring books. Like a textbook. You know that the information is probably fascinating and you’re definitely curious about it, but it’s presented in a way that makes it taste like dirt rather than delicious cuisine.
Some folks really like textbooks. They like the endless names and dates and oh-so-minute specifics that frankly just make my mind fall asleep. I’m a memoir girl all the way. I mean, what’s the overall picture here? Where’s the story? Where’s the flavor?
I suppose it’s a personal preference; I’m the type who needs more abstract, big-picture storytelling and less “Jane Doe was born on January 1, 1885 in San Antonio, Texas and in 1900 opened a tattoo shop in San Diego, California where she utilized a single needle tattoo method developed in the early 1700′s.” BLAH. Save your dry regurgitation of facts– it feels SO beige. I’m craving some color here (which, by the way, you’d think wouldn’t be too difficult given that the topic is tattooing…). Good thing the book included some beautiful tattoo pictures or I may not have made it out alive.
Textbook-y style aside, women and tattoos do indeed have a very cool history that is worthy of print and discussion. Tattooing has swung from taboo to mainstream to taboo again throughout history, and women have had a particularly complex and remarkable relationship with the art form. From sexualization and objectification to self-expression, memorial, and explicit declarations of self-determination, tattooing represents an enormous variety of meaning that has been ever-evolving over the course of the thousands of years that folks have been hammering ink and ash into their skin.
Women as artists, too, are an interesting topic of contemplation. Like most other professions, feminist waves broke their way, slow and steady, through layer upon layer of misogyny and oppression in the world of tattooists. Still not completely void of sexism but definitely making progress, third wave feminists are both reaping rewards of those who fought before, and struggling with their own battles to be heard and respected for their art rather than their genitalia.
Long story short– killer topic, not my favorite book.
Some folks really like textbooks. They like the endless names and dates and oh-so-minute specifics that frankly just make my mind fall asleep. I’m a memoir girl all the way. I mean, what’s the overall picture here? Where’s the story? Where’s the flavor?
I suppose it’s a personal preference; I’m the type who needs more abstract, big-picture storytelling and less “Jane Doe was born on January 1, 1885 in San Antonio, Texas and in 1900 opened a tattoo shop in San Diego, California where she utilized a single needle tattoo method developed in the early 1700′s.” BLAH. Save your dry regurgitation of facts– it feels SO beige. I’m craving some color here (which, by the way, you’d think wouldn’t be too difficult given that the topic is tattooing…). Good thing the book included some beautiful tattoo pictures or I may not have made it out alive.
Textbook-y style aside, women and tattoos do indeed have a very cool history that is worthy of print and discussion. Tattooing has swung from taboo to mainstream to taboo again throughout history, and women have had a particularly complex and remarkable relationship with the art form. From sexualization and objectification to self-expression, memorial, and explicit declarations of self-determination, tattooing represents an enormous variety of meaning that has been ever-evolving over the course of the thousands of years that folks have been hammering ink and ash into their skin.
Women as artists, too, are an interesting topic of contemplation. Like most other professions, feminist waves broke their way, slow and steady, through layer upon layer of misogyny and oppression in the world of tattooists. Still not completely void of sexism but definitely making progress, third wave feminists are both reaping rewards of those who fought before, and struggling with their own battles to be heard and respected for their art rather than their genitalia.
Long story short– killer topic, not my favorite book.
informative
fast-paced
It was not quite what I was expecting; I thought it would be focused on the ways tattoos were perceived subversive choices in broader culture, but it was more a historic survey of women within the tattoo industry. I appreciated the update for the 2020s.
Rather than 'secret', this story is 'mostly unknown' and I think this book is quite informative although not very entertaining. In fact, despite my interest in the topic and a number of really good photographs, I found it very difficult to engage with the narration. There is also an attempt to relate the role of tattoed women in history with the role of women in genaral in the society but I found it very superficial, as in concerning only extremely mainstream phenomena such as Kat Von D and only as part of a state of art.
An interesting look at the partly forgotten history of tattoo that manages to blend individual stories and critical political, cultural and anthropological analysis. Even for an enthusiast like myself, the book offered new information and a narrative so much more interesting than but how will your tattoos look when your old. Well, first of all, my body is not a commodity, and second: fucking fantastic. I can't believe we're still talking about this. Read the book and educate yourself, fool.