Rating: 
Summary: If you thought the movie was good....
Review: This is the second time that I have read this book and it's only getting better and better. I think it's due to that fact that I loved reading it the first time and I knew some of that Glaswegian slang and dialect. The book is definately better than the flick and if you thought the movie was great, Irvine Welsh definately met the standards of top quality reading for our generation. Go out and get this book!!
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Summary: Book that depicts brilliant realism
Review: 'Trainspotting' is a book that has suffered from becoming a sucessful film. Many readers will only come to the book after seeing the film itself and will therefore be forever comparing the book with the movie. However, as a book it screams comedy, realism and social comment. At first difficult to read, as it is written in Glaswegian dialect, it creates a real sense of being young in 1990s Britain, facing the prospect of lifelong unemployment and seeking escapism from reality through the use of drugs. 'Trainspotting' is brilliant in the way that it addresses social problems, creating some funny moments that are always somehow tinged with sadness and thus requiring the reader to use their minds and challenging them to face the realities of the situation. Welsh explore social attitudes and doesn't hold back in expressing any views about the wider cultural problems that face the youth of Britain today. I would recommend eveyone to read this book, to stick with the unusual writing style as it does get easier to follow, and to enjoy the book for what it is and to abstain fromn the temptation to constantly compare it with the film starring the gorgeous Ewan McGregor.
Rating: 
Summary: Novel Fashion
Review: I'm sure Irvine was surprised at the success of this book. Like most people I saw the film first (because it's a British movie), loved the music and was revolted by the toilet scene. Having bought the two CDs and read the book (aloud for fun) I felt I had indulged in the alternative culture it described. The truth is, the Trainspotting world is where nobody in their right mind would want to go. Safely viewing this hell-hole through celluloid and CDs makes us feel smug and safe. Very few of us have experienced anything close to the lifestyle portrayed.So why was it so popular? Because it was different and shocking. On that score Irvine was hugely successful and probably laughed all the way to the bank (with some of my money).
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Summary: THIS BOOK IS FANTASTIC!!!!!
Review: If there were six stars, i'd give it ten! This book is bitingly honest and unremitting. Read this book. The best book by anyone!!!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: the movie is a mockery, compared to the book...
Review: if u saw the movie and liked it, then read the book, & u'll once again start h8ing film directors & producers. after reading the book, the movie looks like a mockery, or a bad unfunny parody of the original story. this is by far the best of irvine. it takes a couple of pages 2 get used 2 scotts' language, but after that, it'll b hard 2 stop.
Rating:
Summary: Eclipses the Stellar Film
Review: I read this as Gestalt therapy after a friend OD'd. Contrary to popular opinion it doesn't glorify heroin addiction but, rather, caustically villifies it by simply showing it how it is. Dark, gritty, yet incredibly funny Trainspotting (the novel) totally eclipses what was a fantastic film. If you loved the flick (and who in Gen-X didn't?)then you'll want to read the book if only because so many hilarious scenes were left out of the former. Whilst the phonetically accented writing is initially hard to decipher, after a couple of chapters you won't even notice it. Simply stunning.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic!!!!
Review: Without doubt, the greatest, funniest book I have ever read. I read it before the movie came out and if you've seen the movie and liked it, you must read this superb, funny, gross and wonderful book to fully understand the characters and truly enjoy this modern masterpiece.
Rating:
Summary: strangely-intriguing
Review: this book is one that i have read twice in the past 3 weeks, because i have not had the time to get to the bookstore yet to buy any of the other books by irvine welsh. i have seen the movie at least 13 times, and i highlyrecommend this book for the reader that does not have a hard time reading and translating at the same time.
Rating: 
Summary: the embodiment of culture... or is it culture embodimented?
Review: Trainspotting is an alarming dialogue on youth, drugs, escapism, and the lowliness of dislocation of not just Scottish youth, but all youth. We can relate to the characters because they live in a game of chess, where they just feel like laying down their king to go f*#k off somewhere. It is about real people who choose not to make choices, what's the point? Inevitably we all are born, and we all die, so where is the necessity to conform? End o' story!
Rating:
Summary: Heroin addiction as high comedy
Review: Without doubt the funniest book you will ever read chronicling how life is for your average drug addict. I defy anybody not to laugh at the scene where the pit bull is shot in the testicles - the beautiful irony of the dog's neanderthal owner being attacked by his canine status symbol is too delicious to believe possible. As a warning against the evils of hard drugs the book is far more effective than telling children to "Just Say No". It should be compulsory reading for all teenage English Literature syllabuses (though I feel Mr. Welsh would object to it being described as 'English' Literature!) In addition, this is one of those rare occasions when a film does the book on which it is based true justice: Ewan McGregor and Robert Carlyle were born to play Renton and Begbie!!
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