The characters in this extraordinary book are often - on the surface - depraved, vicious, cowardly and manipulative, but their essential humanity is never undermined. Two professors of philosophy turn pugilists; Leith removal men become the objects of desire for Hollywood goddesses; God turns Boab Coyle into a house-fly; and in the novella, 'A Smart Cunt', the drug-addled young hero spins off on a collision course with his past. The Acid House is a bizarre, disturbing and hilarious collection from one of the most uncompromising and original writers around. (19941121)
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. Learn more. |
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Product Description
Review
"Mind-bendingly good."
--"GQ magazine"
"The collection as a whole is sick, horrific, occasionally moving and very funny."
--"New Statesman"
--"GQ magazine"
"The collection as a whole is sick, horrific, occasionally moving and very funny."
--"New Statesman"
Book Description
An unsettling, shocking and very funny collection of short stories. (20031017)
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Browse and search another edition of this book.
First Sentence
- Lovely casserole, Marge, I remarked in between frantic mouthfuls. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
- Lovely casserole, Marge, I remarked in between frantic mouthfuls. Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Audio Cassette
My God, has Irvine Welsh ever written a bad tale? Never to my opinion.
The Acid House is a great book because it shows that Welsh can write a short story just as well as a novel.
Stories in this book like 'The Granton Star Cause' and 'The Acid House', are very different to Welsh's usual style of 'real life' gritty tales. The idea in both stories is that someone has changed into something else and is living that life. In 'Granton..', it is because the main character 'Boab' has angered God in a pub, in 'Acid House', the character 'Coco Bryce' is tripping on acid, and then hit by lightening. They will have to be read to understand. 'A Smart C***', the novella at the end is just as compelling as 'Trainspotting', though, not as scummy. A few of the stories have interlinking characters from the last, and 'Smart...' has Spud (Trainspotting). This is a trait commonly used in Welsh's books however. ie. Glue
The Acid House is a great book because it shows that Welsh can write a short story just as well as a novel.
Stories in this book like 'The Granton Star Cause' and 'The Acid House', are very different to Welsh's usual style of 'real life' gritty tales. The idea in both stories is that someone has changed into something else and is living that life. In 'Granton..', it is because the main character 'Boab' has angered God in a pub, in 'Acid House', the character 'Coco Bryce' is tripping on acid, and then hit by lightening. They will have to be read to understand. 'A Smart C***', the novella at the end is just as compelling as 'Trainspotting', though, not as scummy. A few of the stories have interlinking characters from the last, and 'Smart...' has Spud (Trainspotting). This is a trait commonly used in Welsh's books however. ie. Glue
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I live and work in Shanghai. In China its no secret that media is tightly controlled by the government. That is why I find it strange sometimes to find books like "the acid house" lurking in a second hand book store just behind the Bund. For example I also found Mian Mian's "Candy" in a book store (the english language version of course). The chinese version of that book was banned, I guess the Chinese government is counting on the fact that most Chinese people can't read English - I understand that, although I still find it amusing to find such books in Shanghai's book stores.
Anyway to get to the point. I love the short stories, I read them on the bus, in my lunch break, whenever I have a free moment. Like the drugs and chaos portrayed in the stories which the likes of Euan in Stoke Newington Blues are consuming, each short story is like a drug that releases me from the tedium of daily life. (You should try taking a bus in Shanghai!)
Irvine Welsh's ability to conjure a gripping story within such a short number of pages, and build characters which are totally believable is, for me, his best talent. I can only imagine that he really knows what he is writing about - apart from this being a work of fiction - he has described aspects of life with such vivid detail that I can only conclude he is a writer of great experience and great compassion.
The next book store I find hiding amongst the streets of Shanghai that stocks a book by Irvine Welsh is definately going to be able to sell it to me!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
What can I say, the depravity the lifestyle. Disgustingly funny. This book is a mixture of pure writing skill, with copious drug taking. A must!
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 45 reviews
4.3 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
one of his best!
A great book, the stories flow very easily one after another. A very entertaining mix of stories each one very different from the one before, if you like this you will like all... Read more
Published 8 months ago by tg
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Fly in the Ointment
Seriously, how can 'The Granton Star Cause' NOT be influenced by Wire's beautiful single 'I Am The Fly'?
Then again, it might not...
Anyway. Read more
Then again, it might not...
Anyway. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Treadstone
5.0 out of 5 stars
crazy Irvine
I would rate any of his books to be honest, they are all crazy, psycodellic, trippy, grimey and fun to read! Read more
Published on 25 Jan 2011 by Lala
3.0 out of 5 stars
Acid House
Book arrived on time however, it was in a poor condition spine broken pages old and tired looking. It was advertized in "Good Condition" worse book we have recieved from Amazon
Published on 24 Sep 2010 by Jane Caistor
5.0 out of 5 stars
Where the debris meets the sea!
Within "The Acid House" nestles "Where the debris meets the sea".It is undoubtedly one of the most hilarious pieces
of writing I have read. Read more
of writing I have read. Read more
Published on 4 Mar 2010 by John Richards
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best of Welsh
Most of Welsh's books use short stories which span from a main story.
Here we see numerous characters all living in the same little world but who have there story to tell. Read more
Here we see numerous characters all living in the same little world but who have there story to tell. Read more
Published on 3 Sep 2009 by F. Wight
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Acid House (Paperback)
a must read for any new or hardcore welch fan. funny, to the point in his typical format.
Published on 10 Jun 2009 by Ms. Kerrie Pickersgill
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic for the right mind
Very dark humour and style in general, if you like this style or type of novel then it's perfect and very addictive :)
Published on 2 Jun 2009 by Mr. Tim Morgan
4.0 out of 5 stars
Freaky Literary Acid Drops
This collection of short stories followed quickly on the heels of "Trainspotting", quite aptly, for Welsh obviously learned his craft in the medium of the short story -... Read more
Published on 10 Jan 2007 by Mike Cormack
4.0 out of 5 stars
Superb, Welsh is a literary genius
I dont rate this book as Welsh' best by no means. Any writer would find it hard to top Trainspotting & The Marabou Stork Nightmares, both contemporary classics not to be... Read more
Published on 3 May 2001
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
