The Tattoo Encyclopedia : A Guide to Choosing Your Tattoo (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Skipping the technical details of how to get a tattoo, Green's catalog delves into the fascinating realm of why people get tattoos and what images they choose. After an introduction sketching the history of skin art, Green, an archaeologist and UCLA research associate, launches into an alphabetical encyclopedia with a collection of common tattoo symbols under each letter. She offers an illustration of the symbols and describes the meaning and symbolism behind each. For example, a hammer suggests "might, activity, and brute force." The book also explains more obscure tattoos, such as the number 13, which stands for the thirteenth letter of the alphabet (M) and is sometimes used in lieu of a marijuana leaf; and a sunflower, which represents constancy. Green covers some 800 images, from acorn ("an ancient representation of life and birth") to Zuni fetish (a popular Native American symbol).
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

... a book that should be in every tattoo shop on the planet. It's an easy-to-use, A-Z reference guide ... -- Skin & Ink Magazine, March, 2004

... will not only provide an invaluable tool to artists and collectors alike, it's also a great read ... -- Tattoo Revue Magazine, Issue #114

Guilty pleasure. -- Kansas City Star, August 17, 2003

Looking for that perfect gift for your teenage son or daughter - that free-spirited, be-myself, make-a-statement child ...? Voila. -- St. Louis Post Dispatch, August 21, 2003

… useful resource for anyone seriously contemplating a tattoo … interesting, well-written treatment on the meaning of commonly used symbols. -- Netsurfer Books

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Fireside; Trade Paperback Edition edition (August 12, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743223292
• ISBN-13: 978-0743223294
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #90,853 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Virtually useless, October 16, 2005

By	Bianchi Joe (Austin, TX United States) - See all my reviews

The illustrations are little more than commercially-available clip art. The descriptions and explanations are so brief as to be meaningless, and the historical information is ubiquitously available on myriad Internet sites. If you have never seen a tattoo before in your life, this will be a fascinating read. But for the rest of us who have even the slightest prior knowledge of tattoos or generic iconography, buying this book will be an utter waste of money. May I suggest instead that you vist a tattoo shop and discuss designs with an artist.

22 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have!, February 20, 2004

By A Customer

This is a fantastic resource for anybody who's thinking about getting a tattoo. In fact, I would go so far as to say that you shouldn't get a tattoo without reading this book. You can look up tattoo symbols by name, by type, or just thumb through the whole thing looking at all the fantastic illustrations. I bought the book when I decided the time had come to take the tattoo plunge, but realized I had no idea what design I would want or would look good. This book helped me choose a design I would never have thought of by myself. Even if you're not considering a tattoo yourself, the entries make for fascinating reading. Every tattoo shop should have one of these! I'm waiting for the sequel on jewelry!

21 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Mark of Cain, June 18, 2008

By	A. D. Cox (northern PA, USA) - See all my reviews

The Mark of Cain

The pub, the bar, the old watering hole: it's where all the animals gather at the end of the day, but that also includes the predators. I met a gal with the nickname of "Lou". Lou challenged me to arm wrestle and beat me two out of three, and me being a weightlifter and wrestler in high school. But in all fairness, I was distracted by the tattoos of bleeding skulls and naked women rippling down her biceps.

Tattooing is becoming much more commonplace and mainstream in today's society. It used to be that very few women got tattoos. Those that did were the exception and usually a touch eccentric and rebellious, not to mention being able to hold their liquor. All that changed in the late 80's when tattooing became much more socially acceptable, largely due to the many celebrities who publically sported tattoos. In the fall of 2006, a study was completed by the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, which found that 24% of Americans who were between the ages of 18 and 50 had a tattoo. This is almost one in four people in the United States, including women.

Throughout human history, we have deliberately and permanently marked our skin. Tattoos have served as rites of passage, marks of religious and spiritual devotion, decorations of bravery, punishment, talismans of protection, to identify oneself with a particular group or gang, and as the marks of outcasts, slaves and convicts. Today, most people choose to be tattooed for cosmetic and sentimental reasons. No matter the reason - tattoos are forms of expression that carry meaning.

Perhaps you are thinking of getting a tattoo like my drinking buddy "Lou", and you don't know where to start. I recommend checking out The Tattoo Encyclopedia: A Guide To Choosing Your Tattoo by Terisa Green with illustrations by Greg James. This illustrated reference book has entries on the origins and meanings of nearly one thousand tattoo symbols that can serve as your guide for choosing a personally significant tattoo.

For people contemplating a tattoo, the choices can be overwhelming. Do you get a tiger, a dragon, or is a 13 ½* better suited for your current situation? Maybe a butterfly, flower, or cartoon character is more your style. Tattoos can be rich in symbolism or whimsical fashion statements. The Tattoo Encyclopedia presents concise descriptions of symbols both common and unusual, and provides information on their historic, religious, and cultural significance.

Most people and most cultures do associate tattoos with some deeper meaning. They can be an outward sign of inner transformation, an appeal to the forces of fortune, or a declaration of love, loyalty, or sometimes even hatred. They are reminders of events both grim and uplifting -- a glimpse into our past and the events and experiences that have shaped us. I'm thinking of getting a tattoo of the Phoenix, the mythological bird that rises from the ashes. I know I can beat "Lou", and I'm going to challenge her to a rematch. Right after I pay for the next round...