Tales of the Tattooed An Anthology of Ink

The excruciating beauty, exoticism, and mystery of tattoos is laid bare in this new collection of 12 stories ranging from the 1880s to 1940s

Uncovering the history of the tattoo in classic fiction for the first time, this original selection depicts the tattoo as a catalyst for scandal in society, as a symbol for an unknowable supernatural force, and as transcendent living art merging the spirits of a tattooer and his or her living canvas.

Featuring previously hidden works from the pages of rare literary magazines such as "The Starfish Tattoo" alongside such classics of the genre as Tanizaki's "The Tattooer" and Saki's "The Background," this exploration of the tattoo in fiction is guaranteed to leave an indelible impression.

John Miller is Senior Lecturer in Nineteenth-Century Literature at the University of Sheffield, and specializes in the tattoo in literature. The front cover features an original illustration by tattoo artist Luca Ortis.

1. Two Delicate Cases—James Payn—1882
2. The Green Phial—T. W. Speight—1884
3. A Marked Man—W. W. Jacobs—1901
4. The Tattoo—Mary Raymond Shipman Andrews—1909
5. The Tattooer—Jun’ichiro Tanizaki—1910
6. The Background—Saki (Hector Hugh Munro)—1911
7. The Tattooed Leg—John Chilton—1919
8. Branded—Albert Payson Terhune—1919
9. The Tattooed Eye—Arthur P. Hankins—1920
10. The Starfish Tattoo—Arthur Tuckerman—1921
11. The Secret Tattoo—Frederick Ames Coates—1927
12. The Tattooed Card—William E. Barrett—1937
13. Skin—Roald Dahl—1952