- Paperback: 128 pages
- Publisher: Faber and Faber (21 Feb 2000)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0571203205
- ISBN-13: 978-3442446322
- Product Dimensions: 18 x 11.6 x 2.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (136 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 440,302 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Trainspotting
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Product Description
Review
'Welsh has certainly described the world surrounding Edinburgh's underground drug movement with a most amazing intimacy'. --www.bfkbooks.com
`A complex, episodic read'
--Review --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
`A complex, episodic read'
--Review --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
Review
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First Sentence
The sweat wis lashing oafay Sick Boy; he wis trembling. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
The sweat wis lashing oafay Sick Boy; he wis trembling. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The first thing to point out is that the book is very different from the (excellent) film.
This is an amazing book; essentially a collection of vignettes about Edinburgh street life among the heroin users strung together by a common cast and a narrative about Renton escaping.
Making heavy use of the local patois, the book can be difficult to read but it is well worth preserving because the language is an essential element in bringing the amazing cast of characters to life.
The film does have an impact here - as the casting affects your image of the characters - this is not really a problem as the casting was generally excellent - Ewan McGregor and Jonny Lee Miller fitted my mental images of Renton and Sick Boy very well. Robert Carlyle did not conform to my mental image of Begbie but that doesn't really matter as in many ways he was even more terrifying.
Also note that this is not a book for the faint-hearted - it is often graphic and disturbing in its portrayal of drug addiction (particularly the places you might stick needles) and violence (you will certainly think twice before insulting a waitress).
Essential reading
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
As a reader currently accustomed to standard paperback
bestseller crap "Trainspotting" was a welcome change. I
admit, I didn''t discover this book in its obscurity but
was influenced to read it after the great media-hype
surrounding the film, but I still feel gratitude I read the
book before watching the movie. This book, unlike other
mind-numbing American novels later turned into films,
intrigues the reader and teases his thoughts and his
perception of border lines and what is acceptable and
unacceptable. The novel never urges the reader to try any
drug but rather shows the real side of drug use, the ups
and downs of mainly Heroine and alchohol, in a funny and
provokingly interesting way. With the use of intricate
scottish slang Welsh manages to expose the dark realities of
hopeless junkie lives and bring out the humor of those empty
lives, while still incorpporating hilarious sex scenes, harsh
violence and drug use. A definate must-read, this book will
hopefully open the minds of its readers, if there is any hope
in the youth of this great world of ours!
bestseller crap "Trainspotting" was a welcome change. I
admit, I didn''t discover this book in its obscurity but
was influenced to read it after the great media-hype
surrounding the film, but I still feel gratitude I read the
book before watching the movie. This book, unlike other
mind-numbing American novels later turned into films,
intrigues the reader and teases his thoughts and his
perception of border lines and what is acceptable and
unacceptable. The novel never urges the reader to try any
drug but rather shows the real side of drug use, the ups
and downs of mainly Heroine and alchohol, in a funny and
provokingly interesting way. With the use of intricate
scottish slang Welsh manages to expose the dark realities of
hopeless junkie lives and bring out the humor of those empty
lives, while still incorpporating hilarious sex scenes, harsh
violence and drug use. A definate must-read, this book will
hopefully open the minds of its readers, if there is any hope
in the youth of this great world of ours!
21 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
If you've read any other of Irvine Welsh's books and are looking for another hit of his hard-edge and often funny writing style then go to the source, the original, train spotting. Seeing the film will not spoil your experience nor will any comparisons stop you flying through the book, it's simply the most addictive book i've read to date. The characters are, as allways, jumping straight out from the page and are well pictured giving a good dynamic between them. I've never enjoyed a book more and thoroughly recommend the book to anyone who fancies a good read.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
must read
read this first time around, just had to have it for my kindle and read again before reading Irvine Welsh' follow up Skagboys, you may find Trainspotting hardgoing at first... Read more
Published 3 days ago by stanton rose
Choose to read
Written with a Scottish twang, this book may not be to everyone's taste, firstly it takes a couple of pages to adjust to the accent, secondly the subject matter is dark, gritty and... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Robert
Studies of an underclass
Before I mention the novel, a note of caution is in order. I bought this as part of the set of Vintage's 21st anniversary releases which, apart from promising some great reading,... Read more
Published 1 month ago by D. J. H. Thorn
A must read unless you're easily offended, too old or Tory.
All I can say is that the main characters of 'Trainspotting':Rents, Spud, Sick boy and the Beggarman have never left me since reading the novel. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Ctwilliams
Simply Brilliant
I have no interest in the subject matter, and read this expecting to be bored. Instead, I was blown away. Detailed and surprising characters, hilarious dialog. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Charlaine Lippitt
Amazing
A very good read. I found the book surprisingly easy to get into and understand despite the use of dialect and I found that it really added to the impact and effect of the book. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Stepping Out of the Page
read it!
i read this on my summer hols this year.
Obviously seen the film but wanted to read the book.
Wasn't disappointed. Read more
Obviously seen the film but wanted to read the book.
Wasn't disappointed. Read more
Published 9 months ago by fhiona
Experience it without experiencing it.
I was referred to this book by a friend. I was not all for it at first but I gave it a shot. It is a great book, full of realistic experiences about drug use and absolutely NO... Read more
Published 11 months ago by K. WALT
Fantastic Book
This is a great read from start to finish. The use of language and dialect makes it easy to visualise all that is going on in the story and helps you to imagine as if you are... Read more
Published 13 months ago by Taylz1687
Trainspotting the review
Trainspotting was an exceptional peace of literature, its critics would say that it is too grotesque however i have to say that this story is so different to everything else that... Read more
Published 16 months ago by James Manser
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