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Summary: wha'ever
Review: well its just facking brilliant, i'n't it.
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Summary: Deserves to sell more copies than the bible, they say.
Review: And when you read it you'll know why. From the beginning you feel as if the characters were people you've known all your life. Regardless of whether you're for or against drugs, this book shows herion for what it is and does a real fine job of it too. The book is written in "Scottish", which I personally found delicious, although some have commented it is difficult to understand (it isn't, really). The book's strongest point, however, is that it portrays life in Scotland and Britain and the various mentalities of the people there. It's dead serious at times, hilarious at others, but intriguing throughout. Either you'll love it or you'll hate it. Probably the former, though.
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Summary: much better than the movie; wonderful book.
Review: i loved the movie, i love the book even more. i'm not done reading it quite yet, but i just have to proclaim my love for Irvine's writing style and character development. this is a truly original book, and i love him even more for that.
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Summary: Better than Bible!
Review: In the darkest corner of a drug fuelled Scottish sub-culture, its members being sociopaths of the highest order, Irvine Welsh exposes the truth about societies fringe, delving from personal experience as an unemployed, drug using Scot. He, and his characters, resemble "normal" more than the common man dares to allude. Trainspotting is undoubtedly aimed at the general population in Western society who are so willing to prejudge members of certain sub-cultures. Heroin is tool unto which the protagonist, "Rents", uses to kick against society- his philosophy being, "ah choose no tae choose life". He and his "associates" habituate in the working class city of Leith, Scotland. The mentality unto which the heroin users live is that, "nothing exists in ma life except masel and Michael Forrester (heroin)". It is a sub-culture where nothing else in the world matters but getting to the next hit, which Rents claims to be virtuous, as it is an escape from reality...life. Trainspotting is a post-modern novel. It the narrative is a series of disjointed anecdotes unlike a carefully constructed novel in literary traditions. This allows it to aim at a wide range of people within society who it is attempting to communicate with, each of them being able to relate to Trainspotting on their own individual levels. Every anecdote is a narrative of events, in both first and third person perspectives. The novel rotates through perspective, giving a voice to the unheard people in our society. Trainspotting gives us a unique perspective on ordinary events in ones life through the eyes of unordinary people. This is important, as it allows Trainspotting is an important way Trainspotting relates to a broad audience. The characters are not narrating the story; it is simply a digest of their thoughts. Trainspotting chronicles how what may seem as exceptional and anti-social behaviour occurs to the junkies, and their subsequent acquaintances, as normal. For instance, throughout the book the character drink alcohol with the sole purpose of intoxication and regularly solve disputes through violence. When Trainspotting is being narrated in first person perspective it is written in phonetic Scottish. The character all speak in a distinctly Scottish sociolect of the lower class, using words such as ken, radge, scoobied, likesay, giro and bairn. Their speech is also filled with expletives. This could possibly isolate non-Scottish readers with little tolerance for other cultures- the type of people Trainspotting is seeking to enlighten. Rents is Welsh's authorial voice, which he has cleverly setup so that it is conceivable that Rents has a sophisticated vocabulary (because he was a university drop out). This is mixture of language aptly communicates to many levels of audience and also serves as breaking certain clichés and stereotypes of lower socio-economic sub-cultures by the fact the author of the book, which would be considered in some circles "high brow", is (or was) a member of this sub-culture. Trainspotting's social ideology is vehemently disestablishmentarianism,. The characters, particularly Rents, reject all of societies institutions such as education, parenthood in the traditional sense, employment and politics. "... them all," asserts Sick Boy. The characters themselves are constructed in a way where really on the rejection of institutions to live their lives, the reason that they become a sub-culture. Society, in Rents opinion, is filled with "boring middle class ...". People in Western society who are willing to pre-judge people are almost always tied into institutions, particularly political institutions. It is an imcredibly powerful book that indeed does "deserve to sell more copies than the Bible".
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Summary: the end of meaning
Review: Trainspotting affected me as did "Black Like Me" - now I understand. I think that this book conveys true cultural insight - difficult task, rarely accomplished. Made me afraid to have a pint in Edinburgh, though.
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Summary: Wonderful, Engrossing, Moving Book
Review: I read this book after falling in love with the movie. The book provides so much more background than the movie - not that the movie was blatently lacking, just that the book went deeper. The books is both funny and depressing. The junkie lifestyle definitely breeds misery in the lives of the main characters. Their lives take place in a fascinating modern Edinburgh and London, however, which make great "scenery." There was one very uncomfortable/unpleasant chapter about "revenge" that I was glad was absent from the movie and was difficult to get through. This particular chapter probably makes this book a poor choice for squeemish folks.
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Summary: Trainspotting...unmasking Edinburgh's gritty facade.
Review: After watching the contraversial film, "Trainspotting" I decided that i might as well give the book a shot too The intense Scottish dialect will be offputting for those who are not used to it! However as a native Scot, the dialect only acts to convey a more vivid image of the characters portrayed. While some people will be offended by the strong language and chilling imagery depicted by Welsh, those willing to open their mind to the fact that the novel portrays a very realistic picture of Edinburgh's gritty underworld will realse that the book says a lot about life. Written with skill, Trainspotting is a poignant story. It made me laugh, it made me cry, read it with an open mind and accept Welsh's direct approach.
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Summary: A great ride.
Review: I read trainspotting in about three days, which, for me, a semi-literate, self-absorsed, junkie teenager is pretty good. I didn't have a bit of difficulty with the dialect, in fact Welsh has a much better writer's ear than noted "greats" Pynchon or Burroughs. All you have to do is hear it in your head, a skill which comes naturally for those of us who move our lips when we read. And nobody puts you in the picture like Irv. Of course he steals from his predecessors, but that just shows he has good taste. As for a lack of a plot; here's the plot: Margaret Thatcher's Tory Administration served to seriously damage Scottland's (and working class England's) economy. Once well-payed and well respected workers were now often broke or on the dole (that's "slang" for welfare). Pour newfound poverty and strife into ill-considered project-style tenement housing (they call them "schemes"), add Heroin to the mix and you end up with this tragic generation of self-absorbed, absurdist junkies. If you understand the context, the resultant ride is fascinating. And entertaining as hell!
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Summary: Trainspotting Review
Review: Trainspotting, by Irvine Welsh, is a realistic fiction novel about Scottish lowlifes fighting friends, enemies, and an even crueler, more harmful force: heroin. The story focuses on one character in particular, Mark Renton, who continually battles this self-destructive addiction that constantly interferes with and impacts his life. In and out of his drug habit he must search for relationships, jobs, but most importantly any meaning his life or life itself might contain.
The setting of Trainspotting varies throughout the story. The many characters travel all over Edinburgh, Scotland, and Leith. They live in the trashy parts of the cities staying with whomever they can and spending the rest of their time at various pubs. The specific year is never mentioned, but it appears to take place in the early nineties. The author, Irvine Welsh, has a unique way of using setting in the story. Although it's not completely relevant upfront, it's always an important backdrop, and the character's actions show subconscious devotion to their settings. An example of this is how Renton takes plenty of time discussing how he dislikes Scotland, but then narrates, "We go fir a [walk] in the auld Central Station, which is soon to be demolished... Somehow that makes us sad, even though ah wis eywis too young tae mind ay trains ever being here." The atmosphere of Trainspotting is very honest with traces of pessimism. The world is portrayed darkly and depressingly, yet truthfully.
The protagonist of Trainspotting, Mark Renton, has a very deviant view on life. The author shows Mark's thoughts, which for the most part are never appreciative or even attempt to see the bright side of things, unless the situation is ironic. He has a thick Scottish accent and dresses his lanky body in converse and fitted clothing. He has a reputation of being a screw up due to his constant state of kicking, relapsing, then starting back up on heroin. However, his mates do view him as trustworthy. His actions may appear negative sometimes, but he also does have feelings of love and friendship he conveys to people. Irvine Welsh definitely wrote Mark to be a round character. He is also nowhere near a stock character because of his unique thoughts and actions. It's arguable whether he's a static or dynamic character, but I personally found Mark to be dynamic because of his thoughts at the end of the book compared with those at the beginning. By the time the resolution occurs, Mark's bitter hatred for the human race has begun to subside. Overall, I simply enjoyed Renton's rude, why-bother outlook on things.
The narrative hook of Trainspotting occurs when an unknown character begins describing a group of people shooting up heroin as an everyday part of life. The plot is hard to determine since the book mainly switches to different characters and tells about random happenings in their lives. It goes in and out of the junkies' lives while they come off drugs, only to become defeated mentally and begin using again. The story also deals with the social interaction between the group of friends. Mark has built up angst for Sick Boy, who he must deal with. Begbie is constantly starting up unnecessary fights with innocent people, and Spud spends all his time dreaming about a relationship instead of getting up the courage to get one. As the chapters unfold and you discover who the characters really are it all builds up to the final climax of the story, one very shocking if not unbelievable one indeed.
Irvine Welsh, while perhaps being a bit too crude for some people, is an amazing, extremely talented author. He writes in phonetics, combining dialogue, description, and a reader's own personal look into the character's minds. He includes flashbacks, lots of irony, symbolism, and even has song lyrics pertaining to scenes in the story included throughout the book. Once you get used to his style of writing, his humor in the dialogue and thought are extremely enjoyable. He has a very distinct style (at least to me because I haven't read any other work by British authors) and he tells the truth. By truth I mean he does not spare any detail that would occur in real life simply to make the story more polite. He's true to life and I enjoy reading what a character is actually thinking, or seeing how they really would react. Overall I think Irvine Welsh has a very enjoyable style of writing with his true-to-life scenes, somewhat darker humor, and interesting characters which make his work distinctive. If Irvine Welsh did indeed have just one theme for Trainspotting it would probably be to question things you wouldn't ordinarily, and to make up your own opinions. He wants to encourage the readers to gain their own sense of independence. Irvine Welsh wrote the book to show ordinary life through the lives of unordinary people. I would highly recommend Trainspotting for anyone who is not too easily offended, enjoys real life stories, and is looking for a new and rare perspective on things.
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Summary: great dark, nihilistic book
Review: I just finished this yesterday. This was a GREAT book. I've finally found a contemporary author whose work I can sink my teeth into. I've felt that most modern authors seem to get one gimmick and run with it. This is why I thought Fight Club was disappointing, and everything I've tried to read by Bret Easton Ellis. But this book, Trainspotting, has some meat - it doesn't try to just get by on the gimmicks of the Scottish accent and heroin addiction. The accent is difficult at first, but I got used to it in a few pages, and besides, there's a glossary in the back. The characters are all junkies or recovering junkies or drunks or just plain screwed up, but in the process of listening to them you get some startling and dead-on insights. You even get a mini-synopsis of Kierkegaard. I'm not kidding - if you're like me and have been so far disappointed by what passes for modern lit, give this book a go, and you won't go away unhappy. One warning, though - this book is pure nihilism. I love that sort of thing, but many do not. There is no rainbow, no higher message, no deeper meaning, no Plan, just the story of people's lives. It skewers everyone and everything, but I think it calls it like it is. It doesn't glorify heroin use, but neither does it propagandize against it. This is just an excellent story, with interesting people saying interesting things, and some great insights into the human condition along the way. I thank the author for writing this. I'll be looking for his other books now.
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