An avid tv and film buff, these mediums provide useful research while continuing to widen my literary knowledge. It was coscripted with dean cavanagh and stars another of irvine welsh s business partners, jonathan lewis owen. Irvine welsh brought drug culture to vivid life 14 the 1996 film took irvine welshs notorious 1993 novel to a new audience and ensured its longevity in the publics. Welshs books have made him a cult figure within the writing world since the 1990s. Through popular culture, welsh influenced a whole generation. It is a moody, disturbing black and white piece, greatly influenced by images in bergmans seventh seal. Scottish writer irvine welsh is best known for his gritty novel trainspotting turned into the acclaimed 1996 film directed by danny boyle and starring ewan mcgregor, ewen bremner, jonny. Based on the novel of the same title by irvine welsh, the film was released in the united kingdom on 23 february 1996. Nov 20, 2017 trainspotting by irvine welsh is a work of transgressive fiction that follows the life of heroin user mark renton, a.
Trainspotting is told from several different points of views and includes a revolving cast of. Irvine was influenced by his parents to enter motor racing. It was adapted into a 20 film of the same name, directed by jon s. Apr 23, 2017 irvine welsh reveals he was influenced by the broons and oor wullie. Billy the boxer, driven, controlled, playing to his strengths. Irvine welshs ecstasy is a 2011 canadian film adaptation of the short story the undefeated from the bestselling book ecstasy by irvine welsh. He began his career at the age of seventeen when he entered the formula ford. Irvine welsh on his filmhouse house guest season ahead of his house guest season at filmhouse, we pick the brains of irvine welsh to discover why he chose the six films hes screening at the edinburgh cinema and how film has influenced his writing. Jan 27, 2019 irvine welsh on writing trainspotting, adaptations of his work, and how edinburgh has changed over time living ruth dsouza prabhu jan 27, 2019 16.
Marabou stork nightmares by irvine welsh goodreads. Irvine welsh on writing trainspotting, adaptations of his work, and how edinburgh has changed over time living ruth dsouza prabhu jan 27, 2019 16. Trainspotting is told from several different points of views and includes a revolving cast of outsiders living on the fringe of society. Trainspottings influence on drug education campaigns does. I enjoy creating science fiction stories with macabre and comedic twists, greatly influenced by authors such as roald dahl, margaret attwood, irvine welsh and will self. Welshs texts scrutinise contemporary scottish culture through their despicable characters, while his use of scottish dialect and adept empathy manipulation. He cant quite recall if it was simpsons or elsie inglis maternity pavilions. Irvine welsh pour les articles homonymes, voir welsh. The blurb of the book this is probably one of the most horrific books i have ever read in my entire life.
Feb 09, 2016 irvine welsh, a chicago transplant best known for trainspotting. He was the runnerup in 1999 formula one world drivers championship, driving for ferrari. Bbc news entertainment author welshs debt to austen. If one or more works are by a distinct, homonymous authors, go ahead and split the author. But now its writer irvine welsh has told how the inspiration for them came from another group of muchloved scottish. Oct 20, 2016 irvine welsh is an author, raised in edinburgh, who never had any special urge to write.
The blade artist is an elegant, electrifying novel ultra violent but curiously redemptive and it marks the return of one of modern fictions most infamous, terrifying characters, the incendiary francis begbie from trainspotting. Several of his books have become best sellers and all have a mixture of comedy, drama and hardhitting issues. Irvine welsh had been approached by filmmakers before about adapting trainspotting for the screen but had resisted their offers. This article focuses on literature in scots and in english. Irvine welsh i just move on, says carl, one of the characteristically welshian narrators of irvine welshs 2001 novel glue. In lanark, and 1982 janine especially, he wrote two of the. Carl is a man on the move, escaping himself, eluding his demons, moving from country to country, never stopping, never waiting for the boredom or banality to catch up with him. This selective memory at key points in his life would continue.
The blade artist jim francis has finally found the perfect life and is now unrecognisable, even to himself. One musician who has had the most influence on you. He was won over by andrew macdonald and john hodge s enthusiasm for the project but only on the condition that they didnt adopt a ken loach semidocumentary approach to the material. Carl, the milky bar kid, drifting along to his own. How irvine welsh went from enfant terrible to the scottish tourist. Scots author irvine welsh has revealed hes split up with his american wife beth quinn after almost 15 years together. His body is close to its fighting weight, his torso hardened, and the arms sinewy. Scottish novelist irvine welsh reacted angrily to the awarding of the nobel prize for literature to bob dylan, embarking on a.
Who as an author has influenced your writing style the. Unfortunately it was a bit dreary and witless, and very laboured in showing his decline. Glue is the story of four boys growing up in the edinburgh schemes, and about the loyalties, the experiences, and the secrets that hold them together into their 30s. Barbara lindbergrex features welsh s life today is unrecognisable from the one he evokes in skagboys and trainspotting. The son of working class parents, he spent his childhood in government housing, a milieu he gave voice to in his hugely popular novel and subsequent film. His work is characterised by a raw scots dialect and brutal depiction of edinburgh life. Kristin kreuk plays his love interest, heather thompson. In many ways, welshs life couldnt be more different to the period that inspired trainspotting. This book provides an introduction to the work of irvine welsh, placing his fiction in historical and theoretical context. Scottish literature, the body of writings produced by inhabitants of scotland that includes works in scots gaelic, scots lowland scots, and english. Irvine welsh biography trainspotting, novel, london, and scottish. Directed by rob heydon, the film stars adam sinclair as lloyd buist, a drug user who smuggles ecstasy from amsterdam. Scottish author irvine welsh is back with his latest novel called dead mens trousers, reuniting readers with the cast of characters.
The washington post a hilarious, gleefully offensive book, featuring necrophilia, incest, and a character named ronald checker, a rich reality tv host who might remind readers of a certain republican presidential candidate. Name irvine welsh describe your style in three words. We lived with my grandma in an old twostory drafty house. My novel filth was influenced by bad lieutenant with harvey keitel. In fact he remembers little of the birth, though his mother assured him later that it was fairly routine. Irvine welsh, the author of the youth and drug culture touchstone trainspotting, mentions miami only in passing in his latest novel, dead mens trousers. The trainspotting author has returned to renton, sick boy and begbie with. Creating narratives across multiple mediums and continuously pushing the line of acceptability, irvine welsh is a celebrated author whose work has influenced writers all around the world. Irvine kalifornien irvine kentucky irvine pennsylvania irvine wisconsin irvine wyoming in schottland.
He has also written plays and screenplays, and directed several short films. Marabou stork nightmares is written by the author who wrote trainspotting, which in itself is a wild trip this one was like you went on an extended vacation to the bowels of hell. Scots author irvine welsh reveals marriage to american. Irvine welsh is famous for gritty scottish tales, but lives. In terms of its influence, irvine welshs phenomenally successful first novel, trainspotting, can be compared to salman rushdies booker prizewinning. Alex salmond is interviewing paul mason author of postcapitalism. Heavily influenced by the rave and club culture of the early 90s, welsh.
A guide to our future on the edinburgh international book festival stage. Jan 12, 2020 scottish author irvine welsh is back with his latest novel called dead mens trousers, reuniting readers with the cast of characters from his landmark 1993 novel trainspotting. He is called the scottish celine of the 1990s guardian and a mad, postmodern roald dahl weekend scotsman. I think i was influenced by bertolt brechts play mother courage.
A successful painter and sculptor, he lives quietly with his wife, melanie, and their two young daughters, in an affluent beach town in california. But now its writer irvine welsh has told how the inspiration for them came from another group of muchloved scottish characters oor wullie and. Irvine welsh has 88 books on goodreads with 538322 ratings. Trainspotting by irvine welsh is a work of transgressive fiction that follows the life of heroin user mark renton, a. It explores welsh s biography, his impact on contemporary scottish fiction and the cultural relevance of his work. Jan 03, 2005 irvine welsh is famed for his gritty fiction trainspotting author irvine welsh has revealed that jane austens genteel fiction was a major influence on him. Through popular culture, welsh influenced a whole generation with his gritty portrayal of young workingclass men. For his bookshop and website one grand books, the editor aaron hicklin asked people to name the 10 books theyd take with them if they were marooned on a desert. Writers divided on bob dylans nobel honor cbs news. Including a timeline of key dates, it also offers an overview of the critical reception his work has provoked. It explores welshs biography, his impact on contemporary scottish fiction and the cultural relevance of his work. A case can be made that irvine welsh is the most outrageous novelist now at large in the englishspeaking world.
Irvine welsh born 27 september 1958 is a scottish novelist, playwright and short story writer. Five trainspotting locations which have changed beyond recognition irvine welsh s trainspotting with its mean streets, drugridden council estates, and dodgy toilets showed the world a gritty side. Using a range of approaches from bitter realism to demented fantasy, irvine. But now its writer irvine welsh has told how the inspiration for them came from.
The novel takes place in scotland with occasional trips to london. This page is run by irvine welshs book publishers in the uk. Robert carlyle irvine welsh trainspotting writer irvine welsh believes film audiences will see his iconic character francis begbie in a new light in its sequel. Irvine welsh is famed for his gritty fiction trainspotting author irvine welsh has revealed that jane austens genteel fiction was a major influence on him. In lanark, and 1982 janine especially, he wrote two of the greatest scottish novels and influenced a creative. Jul 09, 2001 irvine welsh the author of trainspotting discusses his new novel, glue, real bad bastards and the bront. Contemporary literature irvine welsh macmillan higher. Mar, 2009 iceberg slims first book, about his life as a pimp in the chicago of the 50s and 60s, gave a voice to the ghettos prostitutes and grifters and showed the young irvine welsh that he could be a.
Irvine welsh on writing trainspotting, adaptations of his. The blade artist books irvine welsh official website. Irvine welsh, a chicago transplant best known for trainspotting. Probably of equal importance, he grew up in the same area that author irvine welsh did so the thick dialect is pitch perfect and is exactly as intended by the. Irvine welsh was born in the great city of edinburgh, scotland. He began his career at the age of seventeen when he entered the formula ford championship.
Trainspotting is a 1996 british black comedy crime film directed by danny boyle and starring ewan mcgregor, ewen bremner, jonny lee miller, kevin mckidd, robert carlyle, and kelly macdonald in her debut. Irvine welsh reveals he was influenced by the broons and oor wullie. Marked by irvine welshs scabrous humor and raw scottish vernacular, skagboys transports us to 1980s edinburgh, where the trainspotting crew is just getting started. Irvine welsh is famous for gritty scottish tales, but. Irvine welsh reveals how he escaped from panama gun gang by talking about scots boxer ken buchanan help ma begbie. His hand speed has shifted gears from the ordinary to the fast, a punch from the leith man of letters would set strong men on their behinds and send wimps to the hospital. How irvine welshs youth shaped his politics big think. Find authors like irvine welsh from the worlds largest community of readers. West virginia, kentucky, and ohio was my home until age 10 when my pare. Trainspotting author irvine welshs lust for life books.
Mar 22, 2017 scottish writer irvine welsh is best known for his gritty novel trainspotting turned into the acclaimed 1996 film directed by danny boyle and starring ewan mcgregor, ewen bremner, jonny. Scottish playwright and author irvine welsh trainspotting, filth talks about his latest book dead mens trousers in this special event as part of brisbane writers festival. A massive fuck you to the mainstream multiplex cinema audience in its dark art house bleakness. Juice terry, the workshy fannymerchant, with corkscrew curls and sticky fingers. Dec 29, 2019 trainspotting author irvine welsh tweeted. The scottish author and the young writers he influenced assess the legacy of his debut. Irvines book was the first, and possibly still the. Irvine welsh brought drug culture to vivid life 14 the 1996 film took irvine welshs notorious 1993 novel to a new audience and. Irvine welsh on his filmhouse house guest season the skinny. Some say hes a fake and a con man, while others see him as a genuine visionary. Irvine welshs most popular book is dead mens trousers. Irvine welsh says david bowie made him a writer chicago. Bruce robertson is a detective sergeant serving in edinburgh. Mar 12, 2019 irvine welsh, the author of the youth and drug culture touchstone trainspotting, mentions miami only in passing in his latest novel, dead mens trousers.
Five trainspotting locations which have changed beyond. In the 1996 movie, actor robert carlyle stole scene after scene as the violent alcoholic acquaintance of its central group of scottish heroin addicts. Ever since the movie came out, ive tried off and on to read trainspotting and have never had any success. Iron irvine, leiths great white hope, is ready to rumble. Filth is a 1998 novel by scottish writer irvine welsh. The son of working class parents, he spent his childhood in government housing, a milieu he gave voice to in.
Irvine welsh is currently considered a single author. Charlotte runcie and irvine welsh are among the writers exploring scotlands maritime history in these evocative installations published. Irvine s comment it was fucking freezing on the beach at sussex. Apr 15, 2012 irvine welsh and his wife beth quinn in 2009. His novel trainspotting was made into a film of the same name. Irvine welsh the author of trainspotting discusses his new novel, glue, real bad bastards and the bront. Irvine welshs scintillating, disturbing, and altogether outrageous collection of stories. Welsh points to the oral influences behind his writing words like radge and gadge, which acquired a. Trips home had a disturbing effect every time i went back to the edinburgh housing projects, somebody had died of hiv. Who as an author has influenced your writing style the most. Irvine welsh catapulted onto the literary scene with his debut novel trainspotting, a lurid, frenetic and hilariously squalid tale of scottish drug addicts and other lowlifes, which came to. Aug 28, 2018 scottish playwright and author irvine welsh trainspotting, filth talks about his latest book dead mens trousers in this special event as part of brisbane writers festival. Iceberg slims first book, about his life as a pimp in the chicago of the 50s and 60s, gave a voice to the ghettos prostitutes and grifters.