the feeling you get after finishing the last page is the same as when you realise the man you’ve been talking to and considered to be friendly does not in fact see you as a full person

A fever dream of melting into one another in a flat share.

What a strange coincidence to finish this book on the 30th anniversary of Sam‘s death. It really does seem like all tattooers have hoarding tendencies (see Tattoo Samy and Lyle Tuttle) and we can be truly grateful for the preservation of culture that wouldn’t have happened without them. This book was recommended to me by Matt Lodder, and I really have to thank him for it. It took me quite a while to finish (life gets in the way), but it was a deeply moving experience. If you’re interested in queer history as well as the history of tattooing this book is a must read.