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The Tattooed Lady: A History |  | Author: Amelia Klem Osterud
Publisher: Speck Press
Category: Book
List Price: $27.00
Buy New: $12.48
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Seller: backpack_books
Rating:  3 reviews
Sales Rank: 51765
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 160
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.2
Dimensions (in): 10 x 8.1 x 0.8
ISBN: 1933108266
Dewey Decimal Number: 391.65
EAN: 9781933108261
ASIN: 1933108266
Publication Date: November 1, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Living in a time when it was scandalous even to show a bit of ankle, a small number of courageous women covered their bodies in tattoos and traveled the country, performing nearly nude on carnival stages. These gutsy women spun amazing stories for captive audiences about abductions and forced tattooing at the hands of savages, but little has been shared of their real lives. Though they spawned a cultural movement—almost a quarter of Americans now have tattoos—these women have largely faded into history. The first book of its kind, The Tattooed Lady uncovers the true stories behind these women, bringing them out of the sideshow realm and into their working class realities. Combining thorough research with more than a hundred historical photos, this social history explores tattoo origins, women's history, and circus lore. A fascinating read, The Tattooed Lady pays tribute to a group of unique and amazing women whose legacy lives on. Amelia Klem Osterud is a tattooed academic librarian from Wisconsin. She has a master's degree in history from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and writes and lectures on the subject. This is her first book. Visit her author blog at tattooedladyhistory.vox.com
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| Customer Reviews:
An excellent contribution to the field July 29, 2010
Frederic (Ithaca, NY)
An excellent book, probably the best on the subject. As a scholar I would have preferred more detailed in-text citations, but most readers probably won't mind about that. Written by a librarian, it should come as no surprise that the archival materials are very well represented, but the author also draws usefully on her own original interviews with contemporary burlesque performers. Highly recommended for those with interests in American popular culture and performance, the history of tattooing and social movements, and gendered performance.
Not my usual fare June 2, 2010
James Denny (Catonsville, Maryland)
"The Tattooed Lady: A History" by first-time author Amelia Klem Ostrud is not my usual fare. But as "HistoryGuy1," I could not overlook this coffee-table book when I came across it at my local library.
Indeed, this is history, good history, a "peoples history" with solid documentation, a work not to be overlooked.
With many great photos, Osterud delivers a compelling narrative to describe the history of "tattooed ladies." Full-body-canvas tattooed ladies first appeared in the third quarter of the 19th century. They most often began as circus performers with outfits like Barnum and Bailey, the Ringling Brothers and other traveling circus shows. These early tattooed ladies "boldy went where none had gone before" in becoming a full body canvas for the curious to gaze upon.
In the era of sideshow "freaks," the tattooed lady took her place on the platform with giants, midgets, "the fat lady," "the thin man," "the bearded lady" and other freaks of nature. The "show" provided by the tattooed lady was to allow herself to be looked upon. A tattooed lady would exhibit parts of her body not normally seen by any man or any woman in public.
The artwork on the early tattooed ladies tended to mimic the artwork of tattooed men, sailor art in particular. Osterud points out that as the tattooed lady moved into the twentieth century she tended to choose artwork with a more feminine and distinctive touch, diverging from the artwork chosen by men.
Osterud provides background and insight into the mythology surrounding the tattooed ladies who "had gone the distance with body art." In direct contradiction of the myth, these famous tattooed ladies willingly and consciously chose to become tattooed ladies, defying the social mores of the era. Osterud points out that these women of mostly working class background could make a good living and achieve a level of independence that peers in their social class could never achieve.
"The Tattooed Lady" is an original work of social, economic and class history and a truly fun read.
Killer, just killer February 6, 2010
James Taylor (Baltimore, MD)
An indispensable text on a subject that many might think has been covered to death. Guess what: It hasn't been. In a world of too many picture books on the subject, finally, there's real meat. A true credit to the subject and, this reviewer hopes, not the last.
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