Would you ever get a tattoo? If so, what would it be? I actually started down this trail because of something the character 'Ducky' said on NCIS. I cannot find that quote at the moment so I'm just going to go ahead and post this anyway.

I started this trail with Vintage Tattoos: the Book of Old-School Skin Art, by Carol Clerk. A wonderful history of the designs and artists, what was popular when, and why. From one simple design to complex full body art it's an amazing journey.

Constant Reader suggested the next book I read: The Tattoo Chronicles, by Kat Von D. A warning first, this can be a dark book, many of the tattoos are in memory of someone who died from a tragic accident, abuse, or murder. That being said, the journal like entries are thought provoking and interesting, and the designs beautiful.

What an odd and wonderful book! Science Ink: Tattoos of the Science Obsessed, by Carl Zimmer, is filled with the images and the stories behind them, of science geeks (their description) who have tattoos of, well, sciencey stuff! Many I did not understand (think math here), some were simple, some complex but they were all interesting.

If you've every looked at someone's tattoo and wondered "Why?" you'll find some of the answers in Pen & Ink: Tattoos and the Stories Behind Them, by Isaac Fitzgerald and Wendy MacNaughton. Some are moving such as designs done in the memory of a family member or friend, some are like a diary such as the biker who has state highway numbers showing his route across the country, and some, well, some were done when very young (or even drunk). A rather nice read, actually. :-)

I may have been a bit hasty when I said this trail started with Vintage Tattoos ... it may have actually started with The Illustrated Man, by Ray Bradbury, some decades ago. My copy shows a man, from behind, sitting on a wooden platform. He is covered in tattoos. The twist here is that these tattoos move! What an incredible way to gather unconnected stories into a collection!

Reading Hermit With Dog