Go Big Or Go Home: Taking Risks In Life, Love, And Tattooing (2013) - Plot & Excerpts
Actually, 4.5. As a lover of tattoos and the practice of tattooing, I always have to check up on Kat Von D every once in a while. Her awesome show turned lukewarm by it's 3rd season, and I thought I knew the character of Kat Von D pretty well at that point. However, this book really impressed me. While some of her writing can be generic, I was very impressed with it. It was really cool seeing that a TLC celebrity a) reads books b) practices meditation, and is well-versed in the subject c) is tattooed and gorgeous d) opened up a local art gallery, and most importantly, e) writes constantly about her self improvement goals. Having beat alcoholism, having dumped numerous sucky boyfriends, having had her house burn down, etc and all she writes about is becoming a better person and wanting to help others. It's also really neat to read about what people got which tats and why. It's pretty inspiring actually. Yay for a young female celebrity that has interests and a personality!!! Kat Von D has always been an inspiration to me, with her dedication to herself and what she loves, her thirst for knowledge, and just her overall awesomeness. To be perfectly frank, I envied her for a long time and because of that I read both of her first books almost instantly after they came out, and the review I am about to give for this one is easily the review I would give for all three.What I love about this book is that it is not all about tattoos, but it is also not all about her personal life. It's a perfect mix of the two. The stories she tells that are both her own and the people she has permanently marked are not only interesting, but an uplifting reminder that no matter who you are or where you stand emotionally, your life will only be as fulfilling as you allow it to be and it is your sole duty to battle the fear and insecurities that hold is all back and ultimately do whatever makes you happiest.Of course the tattoos are stunning and the way the whole book is set up makes it more of a piece of art than anything, but I have to admit it let me down a little. I found myself flipping through some of the tattoo stories simply because they were boring, and I was expecting a few more people that I had actually heard of.Also I found the book a little impersonal. It felt like she was trying to be honest but she was holding back and let's face it, in an autobiography you want all the nitty gritty details. She never told us the mysterious person she kept speaking of in single pages interspersed throughout the book that simply marked a year. And most importantly of all, she didn't tell us where she was now, in the present.Overall, it was a good book, it just didn't hold up to my expectations. I would recommend tot to someone who is a fan of hers, but not without warning them about how I felt about it, and I don't think people that aren't fans of hers would enjoy it. Sorry, Kat.
What do You think about Go Big Or Go Home: Taking Risks In Life, Love, And Tattooing (2013)?
The words read like bad high school poetry, but the pictures are great.
—Foo
Self help at its finest. I bow down 2 u Queen Kat. I love you forever.
—Tessa
Recommended by Ouachita Library (Ouachita Parish, LA).
—Parkerhines1
![The Tattoo Chronicles[Ein Jahr Voller Tattoos Willkommen] (2010) by Kat Von D](/i/cover.jpg)