Irvine Welsh
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Irvine Welsh
Just finished reading "Filth", I really think that Irvine Welsh's books are fantastic. Pity he is a Hibee.
Any other fans out there?
Any other fans out there?
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I read "Porno" recently as well. I loved Trainspotting, and thought Porno was a fantastick continuation of that story. Being from the States, I found it a little difficult at 1st to be reading in dialect, such as whenever Spud talks, but it is easily adjustable and not too hard to get into.
I also read "Acid House" by Welsh.
I also read "Acid House" by Welsh.
Totally into Irvine Welsh. Started off with Trainspotting, then read Filth, which I think is his best alongside Acid House. Reading these books made me take a trip to Edinburgh, which definately was worth it. Goin' back next summer.
I did an essay for my Finnish teacher about Filth in High school, and oddly enough she was just reading the same novel. She commented that it was the darkest, most disgusting novel she'd ever read.
I did an essay for my Finnish teacher about Filth in High school, and oddly enough she was just reading the same novel. She commented that it was the darkest, most disgusting novel she'd ever read.
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I find it pretty cool that people out with Scotland / UK can pick up on the vernacular that Welsh employs as it is really strong. I have often wanted to recommend it to some US friends of mine but felt weary that they would not be able to get into it as a result. Hell, I even struggle with some of the references and slang.
I know what you mean about taking a Trip to Edinburgh Juzba, I have read one book of Welsh's each year, for the last 4 years and everyone has included the characters taking a trip to the Dam. As a result I have found myself being reminded that it is about time I went back over. As DS Robertson says, everyone should go at least once a year. Right, where's my local travel agent these days.
I know what you mean about taking a Trip to Edinburgh Juzba, I have read one book of Welsh's each year, for the last 4 years and everyone has included the characters taking a trip to the Dam. As a result I have found myself being reminded that it is about time I went back over. As DS Robertson says, everyone should go at least once a year. Right, where's my local travel agent these days.
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ya know orbital , i felt the same way about the acid house, just too short. again though, the soundtrack is brilliant.
FILTH has to be one of the greatest pieces. for anybody that has not read it, DO. Just the image of DS Robertson giving his nuts a good clawing, eeewwwwwwww. i luv that book.
if anybody is interested, he also has a play, i have the manusript, you can get for about $8.00. it is very short maybe 80 pages top. oh yeah i finally figured out what its called, you have your whole, or sometihing along those lines.
xxxshonnxxx
FILTH has to be one of the greatest pieces. for anybody that has not read it, DO. Just the image of DS Robertson giving his nuts a good clawing, eeewwwwwwww. i luv that book.
if anybody is interested, he also has a play, i have the manusript, you can get for about $8.00. it is very short maybe 80 pages top. oh yeah i finally figured out what its called, you have your whole, or sometihing along those lines.
xxxshonnxxx
I loved the first 3 Irvine Welsh books, Trainspotting, The Acid House and Marabou Stork Nightmares, they're absolutely TOP, but after those I think he lost it a bit, but having read 'Porno' I don't think totally.
The first two stories in Ecstasy were complete bollocks, Welsh's attempts to write Cockney and Somerset accents were lamentable, and the stories were the beginning of Welsh decending into gratuitous schlock stuff and self-parody. The third story redeemed it somewhat though, the trip sequence in that story is ACE and the rest of it at least reminds us why we liked Welsh in the first place.
Filth was Welsh's creative nadir as far as I'm concerned. The whole concept was rubbish, a corrupt cop mentally consumed by his own anus/tapeworm/whatever metaphor. It read like someone parodying Irvine Welsh. It's just gratuitously horrible. Unmitigated shite I'm afraid. I've never met anyone who liked it either and this website is the first place I've ever heard or read a good word about it!
I haven't read 'Glue' so I can't say if I think it's any good, but I read 'Porno' over the summer and really enjoyed it. It picks up the Trainspotting narrative 10 years on and is really good fun to read. I laughed out loud at the end. Definitely a return to form.
The play he wrote was called "You'll Have Had Your Hole" if I remember right.
The first two stories in Ecstasy were complete bollocks, Welsh's attempts to write Cockney and Somerset accents were lamentable, and the stories were the beginning of Welsh decending into gratuitous schlock stuff and self-parody. The third story redeemed it somewhat though, the trip sequence in that story is ACE and the rest of it at least reminds us why we liked Welsh in the first place.
Filth was Welsh's creative nadir as far as I'm concerned. The whole concept was rubbish, a corrupt cop mentally consumed by his own anus/tapeworm/whatever metaphor. It read like someone parodying Irvine Welsh. It's just gratuitously horrible. Unmitigated shite I'm afraid. I've never met anyone who liked it either and this website is the first place I've ever heard or read a good word about it!
I haven't read 'Glue' so I can't say if I think it's any good, but I read 'Porno' over the summer and really enjoyed it. It picks up the Trainspotting narrative 10 years on and is really good fun to read. I laughed out loud at the end. Definitely a return to form.
The play he wrote was called "You'll Have Had Your Hole" if I remember right.
I'm a big fan of heavy literature a la Welsh and would agree for the most part with the views expressed here. All his books are worth reading but Ecstasy is ropey compared to the others. I quite enjoyed Glue but it didn't compare to the Trainspotting/Porno duo, or Marabou (which is really horrible), or The Acid Mouse which was superb. Filth was a triumph of nastiness - the way Welsh crammed everything he hated (shit 80s Brit metal, Hearts, etc.) into the main character was inspired.
'You'll Have Had Your Hole' premiered in Leeds and I saw it during its preview week. Pretty offensive, lots of 'fuck this' and 'cunt that' the whole way through. A couple of pretty repulsive scenes too. I also saw the stage play of Trainspotting which took away any glamour connected with smack (the kind shown in the movie).
If you like Welsh's stuff check out Niall Griffiths, exactly the same kind of thing but in Wales. 'Grits' is very bleak, along the same lines as Trainspotting, and 'Sheepshagger' builds up to a scene of such extremeity it took me by surprise.
Having said all that.... there's a whole load further you can take extreme writing. Matthew Stokoe's 2 novels, 'Cows' and High Life' are firmly embedded in this area. 'Cows' is by several thousand miles the most horrific, repulsive and gratuitous piece of writing I've ever come across. I found it compulsive reading despite the utterly disgusting nature of the plot line. 'High Life' covers similar territory but is set as a fast paced thriller and I'd regard it as one of the best books I've ever read. There are moments which make you seriously wonder about what is going on in the author's head. If anyone else has read these and has other recommendations I'd be seriously interested in hearing them. I go for pretty far out books along the Welsh/Griffiths/Stokoe lines. Tried to read some James Havoc recently but found it too pompous and wordy.
'You'll Have Had Your Hole' premiered in Leeds and I saw it during its preview week. Pretty offensive, lots of 'fuck this' and 'cunt that' the whole way through. A couple of pretty repulsive scenes too. I also saw the stage play of Trainspotting which took away any glamour connected with smack (the kind shown in the movie).
If you like Welsh's stuff check out Niall Griffiths, exactly the same kind of thing but in Wales. 'Grits' is very bleak, along the same lines as Trainspotting, and 'Sheepshagger' builds up to a scene of such extremeity it took me by surprise.
Having said all that.... there's a whole load further you can take extreme writing. Matthew Stokoe's 2 novels, 'Cows' and High Life' are firmly embedded in this area. 'Cows' is by several thousand miles the most horrific, repulsive and gratuitous piece of writing I've ever come across. I found it compulsive reading despite the utterly disgusting nature of the plot line. 'High Life' covers similar territory but is set as a fast paced thriller and I'd regard it as one of the best books I've ever read. There are moments which make you seriously wonder about what is going on in the author's head. If anyone else has read these and has other recommendations I'd be seriously interested in hearing them. I go for pretty far out books along the Welsh/Griffiths/Stokoe lines. Tried to read some James Havoc recently but found it too pompous and wordy.
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hey runcbile, thanks for the recomendations. i have been wanting to find another writer along the lines of irvine.
also if any of you old posters were ever into the smiths, their is a wonderful new book out called, How Soon Is Never. if the smiths were the lightening bolt that struck you at the right pre-pubescent momemt, this book is a must have, and if they didn't you will still appreciate his taste for comedy.
gotta run, open your minds by opening a book.
xxxshonnxxx
also if any of you old posters were ever into the smiths, their is a wonderful new book out called, How Soon Is Never. if the smiths were the lightening bolt that struck you at the right pre-pubescent momemt, this book is a must have, and if they didn't you will still appreciate his taste for comedy.
gotta run, open your minds by opening a book.
xxxshonnxxx
i've read them all but Glue, which i own but haven't cracked yet.
i liked them all, even Marabou Stork Nightmares.
another excellent Scottish author is Alasdair Gray. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/autho ... r_Gray.htm
i read Poor Things, and it's very good.
ddk
i liked them all, even Marabou Stork Nightmares.
another excellent Scottish author is Alasdair Gray. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/autho ... r_Gray.htm
i read Poor Things, and it's very good.
ddk
Marabou is surely worthless compared to "whatever" in the history of literature. but like always any book serves as a rapture if you live on a lonely island... but i do agree that Marabou is a meltdown.
i have read "Cows" by Matthew Stokoe. strong stuff indeed!
Dennis Cooper's "Frisk" has some very crispy parts.
When Erik Morse' "Dreamweapon" comes out i'll order it with Stokoe's "High Life" and book about Takashi Miike called "Agitator".
no time to waste.
i have read "Cows" by Matthew Stokoe. strong stuff indeed!
Dennis Cooper's "Frisk" has some very crispy parts.
When Erik Morse' "Dreamweapon" comes out i'll order it with Stokoe's "High Life" and book about Takashi Miike called "Agitator".
no time to waste.
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IRVINE WELSH... great stuff.
'Trainspotting' is an epochal moment for me as far as books go... the original tagline was 'deserves to sell more copies than The Bible'.
Fair enough.
An incredible book, shame the film is only 1% of the sprawling epic the book is.
'Marabou Stork'... a dark, twisted book that, I did like Roy Strang's dad although i'm thankful that I don't live next door to him!
Don't read this if youre feeling unwell, I did and eternally regret it!
Havent read 'Filth' but 'Glue' is class... esp Terry 'Juice' Lawson.
'Porno' is great too.
Welsh is one of the few writers I always seem to enjoy...
Also glad to see Alasdair Gray mentioned... 'Lanark' is awesome and like nothing else.....
'Trainspotting' is an epochal moment for me as far as books go... the original tagline was 'deserves to sell more copies than The Bible'.
Fair enough.
An incredible book, shame the film is only 1% of the sprawling epic the book is.
'Marabou Stork'... a dark, twisted book that, I did like Roy Strang's dad although i'm thankful that I don't live next door to him!
Don't read this if youre feeling unwell, I did and eternally regret it!
Havent read 'Filth' but 'Glue' is class... esp Terry 'Juice' Lawson.
'Porno' is great too.
Welsh is one of the few writers I always seem to enjoy...
Also glad to see Alasdair Gray mentioned... 'Lanark' is awesome and like nothing else.....
indeed. I do believe I have stood in line for the bathroom next to a Spud and known a sickboy or two in my day.ORBITAL wrote:Does anyone think, like me, that some people met on our own journeys are a lot like some of the characters in welsh's books. Ive been in many a pub and situation or got aquainted with people where I have actually thought 'christ' youre a bit like juice terry or some other character
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I bumped into the guy who played that part in the acid house film. He used to do stand up comedy and was playing one sunday afternoon in a club I worked in when I was a student. His patter was mucky as fuck.
Im sure his name is Lennie somthing or other. Offered to buy me a drink at bar.
Needless to sat I declined.
Im sure his name is Lennie somthing or other. Offered to buy me a drink at bar.
Needless to sat I declined.
Work is the scourge of the drinking classes