This is one of my all-time favs! This is a memoir that focuses on the author's seven tattoos. Each chapter tells the story of how and why the tat came to be. The man is fucked-up but fascinating! Dark, sometimes humorous, mostly disturbing... oh, how I love this book! ( )

I have to admit that I have mixed feelings about this work, partial memoir and partial collection of essays. On one hand, I love Trachtenberg's writing style, and I really enjoy the sections where he focuses in on the depth of meaning that each of his tattoos holds, both in terms of the inspiring experiences and the more symbolic meaning of each. On the other had, this collection also falls (too often) into areas that I feel are more journalistic or confessional than what I'd like to have seen. Trachtenberg's incredibly personal accounts of his interactions with his parents are, for me, a step past uncomfortable. It's not that I would, generally, protest a writer giving accounts of their family and history in such brutally honest detail...but, I do take issue with the fact that these accounts are sometimes given such time that they overtake the essay at hand. Simply, they seem to go beyond artful, and move more into the realm of confessional and journalistic outpourings that take away from the larger ideas Trachtenberg is at the same time exploring.

As I said, I adore his writing, and I'm fascinated by tattoos and the inspiration for this work. Simply, I just wish that there'd been more balance between the stated purpose of the work, and the more confessional memoir-istic inclusions that so often overtook everything else. For now, I have every intention of reading more of Trachtenberg's work, but I'm not sure I'd recommend this one (aside from some few sections, perhaps) to even tattoo enthusiasts. Memoir enthusiasts, perhaps. ( )

This was one of those great finds I stumbled across in the discount rack. Trachtenberg traces the origin of his seven tattoos. Each has a unique history - some based on anger, some based on grief. The narrative describes not only the physical act of tattooing but the emotional significance and symbology of each piece. The writing is very raw. A powerful memoir even for those not into the tattoo scene. ( )