Events

Reading and discussion with Amelia Klem Osterud, 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 www.tattooedladyhistory.vox.comuPDATE 3/5: Some local tattoo artists will be joining us with info about their work - including Bad News Becca: http://beccaroach.com/home.html and Emma from http://www.porcupinetattoo.com/emma.html Yeah! RSVP on Facebook (not required) Living in a time when it was scandalous even to show a bit of ankle, asmall number of courageous women covered their bodies in tattoos andtraveled the country, performing nearly nude on carnival stages. Thesegutsy women spun amazing stories for captive audiences about abductionsand forced tattooing at the hands of savages, but little has beenshared of their real lives. Though they spawned a culturalmovement--almost a quarter of Americans now have tattoos--these womenhave 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 hundredhistorical 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.