Tattoo Book

No Regrets is definitely worth picking up, whether you're a fan of tattoos or not. It does have entertainment value even the second and third time you look through it, especially if you share it with friends. However, it is not for the easily offended as it contains language and subject matters that are highly controversial. Photo resolution isn't the best, but that isn't really the focus of the book.

When I first picked up this book, I was sure I wasn't going to like it. I just knew it was going to be 120+ page of insults against tattoos. The cover art didn't help with that assumption either, seeing as how that alien head and backpiece tattoo by Steve Nesbit has been one of my personal favorites for years.

But the more pictures I looked at and the more I was forced to agree with the authors' humorous interjections, I realized that even I can enjoy a good laugh at someone else's ink, because some of it really is outrageous.

Even if you love tattoos, I'm sure you've seen plenty that make you cringe. Or maybe they're so ridiculous they just make you laugh. And then there are those that are so "out there" that all you want to do is ask, "Why??" That's what this book is all about. It doesn't set out to make fun of or insult tattoos as a whole, but the authors did set out to poke some lighthearted fun at some of the craziest tattoos they could find. Some of them are even well done art-wise, but the subject matters are so insane that they still deserve criticism.

And if the art oddities don't speak for themselves, throw in some carefully placed sarcasm from the authors and some pages will have you rolling on the floor.

I found that the best way to enjoy this book was to share it with a friend or group of friends. While I definitely got a chuckle while perusing the pages alone, when I shared it with a friend and added the hilarity of her reactions to the humor of the book itself, the comedic value was intensified.

My only concern is that those who already don't like tattoos may use this book to point a finger and say, "See?" But people who are determined to be closed minded will probably remain so whether they read this book or not. The rest of us can still enjoy it for what it is.