Pen & Ink: Tattoos & The Stories Behind Them

This book takes us on a journey into the world of tattoos and the stories behind them, featuring writers Cheryl Strayed and Roxane Gay, rockers in bands like Korn, Otep, and Five Finger Death Punch, and an unnamed porn star, and more people from all walks of life. It shines a spotlight on the ordinary people — from professors to thrift store salespeople, cafe owners to librarians, union organizers to administrators—and their extraordinary lives.

Curated and edited by Isaac Fitzgerald, who himself sports twelve tattoos, each story is like being privy to secrets shared by strangers on the street or across a train. Wendy MacNaughton’s gorgeously rendered full-color illustrations complement black-and-white drawings of the bearers’ bodies.

(This book may contain a sharpie mark on the top or bottom edge and may show mild signs of shelfwear.)