Russian Prison Tattoos: Codes of Authority, Domination, and Struggle
- ISBN13: 9780764317644
- Condition: New
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Product Description
For centuries, Russian prison inmates forcibly initiated newcomers with tattoos. Gradually, prisoners developed a secret form of communication with their tattoos, allowing them to establish rank among the other inmates and maintain a clandestine hierarchy. This book explores the grisly reality of Russian prisons and the people who inhabit them. Over 190 black and white and color photographs expose the different tattoos and their meanings, ranging from churches, cros… More >>
Russian Prison Tattoos: Codes of Authority, Domination, and Struggle
Amazing book written by Alix Lambert.Pretty interesting and I like the way it had been created. The tattoos with there signification and the story who goes with it between the Goat,Downcast and Vory v Zakone are well done.
Rating: 5 / 5
This book was very interesting. But…simply put, not enough photos. Many of the photos included don’t show any tattoos at all. Random elderly people and prisoners, jail cells, signs, etc. If you’re wanting to understand the prison culture and politics, it would be wonderful!! If you’re looking for an interesting photobook of people’s tattoos, this is not the one to pick.
Rating: 2 / 5
this is an excellent book about russian prison tattoos. it has a lot of clear pictures. it also has quite informative text from good research done by the author. i reccommend this book to anyone interested in tattooing in foreign cultures and countries.
Rating: 5 / 5
The book is alright they break it down to politics, being a Russian who came here when I was ten, I realize that the American jails and federal prisons aren’t so bad, except cook county jail and tent city in Arizona, lots of info, big photos, but to get the whole perspective, who the bitch is, and who swallows sperm , you would need to complement yourself with the second book called Russian Criminal Tattoo Encyclopaedia. The books go together.
Rating: 4 / 5
For the most part a photography book Russian Prison Tattoos besides going into the meaning of the tattoos the text of this book is also a look into Russian prison life and street level criminal culture. There is a pretty strict caste system within the Russian prison system, that I have to say seems to be a lot more orderly than the rest of Russian society. Tattoos are used to show where you sit within that caste system. Some examples are spiders denote drug addiction, a Madonna or woman holding an infant means you have been in the system since you were still a child, an executioner or a knife through a skull means you are a murderer, eyes on the lower abdomen means you are a pedophile or in for a sex crime, etc. In most cases you are more or less obligated to have these tattoos on your body to show what crime you have committed. However the old prison codes and tattooing system is slowly but surely dying off according to this book.
You also get a look into a few of the people in this books lives and hear some of their stories, like the guy who shot, killed and then beheaded three gypsies when he caught them digging up his Mothers grave in order to steal items that she had been buried with. One surprising thing about the Russian criminal system is the penalty for murder is often barely more than the penalty for seemingly petty robberies and thefts. The pictures in the book really give you a feel for what an utter hell life is in a Russian prison. High tuberculosis and hepatitus rates, potential violence from guards and inmates at all times, living in unbelievably cramped and filthy conditions. I actually began to feel like I was in a Russian prison myself while reading this. Due to there not being a huge amount of text its a quick read (I think I read it cover to cover in less than 24 hours) but its very interesting none the less.
Rating: 4 / 5