# Books similar to Trainspotting and other Irvine Welsh



## Plastercast (Nov 1, 2008)

It's been a while since I read some fiction as I'm not really bothered with it, never seen the point in reading something if it isn't about something real and relevant to my life, but lately I've needed something to entertain me, and I figured it's better than going on the internet or watching TV, and anyway it's much more engrossing than either of those. Now can't believe the amount of reading I've missed out on. Ideally I would always have a book that I'm reading, getting through one a week or something, but you know what it's like when other more important stuff gets in the way. My reading habits are a bit like buses, I don't read for ages, then I end up reading 3 books in a row like. The last 3 were all by Irvine Welsh, I liked Trainspotting the best, so what other books by other authors would you recommend that I might like? I'm after something set in the UK that's quite harsh and ugly and fucked up like. No fairytale endings.


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## Santino (Nov 1, 2008)

Pride and Prejudice


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## ebay sex moomin (Nov 1, 2008)

"The Junk Yard: Voices From An Irish Prison," edited by Marsha Hunt has a similar prose style to Trainspotting, though obviously it's non-fiction. I'd recommend it.


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## TheHoodedClaw (Nov 1, 2008)

_Don Quixote_ and _War and Peace_ are hugely rated for a very good reason. Both are long but very readable, particularly the latter.

If you want to read stuff that's a bit more like Welsh, then try the novels of Christopher Brookmyre. They aren't great literature by any means, but they are well written, and a load of fun. 

I liked David Mitchell's _ghostwritten_ and _Black Swan Green_. He won a ton of awards for *Cloud Atlas* but I think that that book is very over-rated. 

Alan Warner has written a couple of decent books - _Morvern Callar_ is the best known. Again with the Welsh-ness I recommend his _The Sopranos_. I don't know if it's an accurate representation of a bunch of Catholic schoolgirls, but it is funny and, at the end, touching.

Going back to novels that can be considered classics I'd go for Mark Twain's _The Adventures of Tom Sawyer_, Erich Maria Remarque's _All Quiet on the Western Front_ and Ernest Hemingway's _For Whom the Bell Tolls_.

I'm sorry that not all my choices are set in the UK, not all are ugly and few have fairy-tale endings, but I've typed this up so I might as well post it.


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## ebay sex moomin (Nov 1, 2008)

'Don't read this book if you're stupid' by Tibor Fischer has a collection of fairly downbeat but also quirky short storys. I'd liken it to Welsh's 'ecstacy'.


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## Maurice Picarda (Nov 1, 2008)

ebay sex moomin said:


> 'Don't read this book if you're stupid' by Tibor Fischer has a collection of fairly downbeat but also quirky short storys. *I'd liken it to Welsh's 'ecstacy'.*


 
Good God. That's not really fair on Fischer.


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## bluestreak (Nov 1, 2008)

How about reading James Kelman?  He's where Welsh got a lot of ideas from, plus he's a better writer.


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## spawnofsatan (Nov 1, 2008)

Grits by Niall Griffiths


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## ebay sex moomin (Nov 1, 2008)

Maurice Picarda said:


> Good God. That's not really fair on Fischer.


oh, I don't know- personally I like both writers, and I know that Fischer rates Welsh- he's quoted on the front of one edition of Trainspotting saying, 'Welsh has it all'.


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## Maurice Picarda (Nov 1, 2008)

Possibly, but _Trainspotting_ was fresh and interesting. _Ecstasy_ was partly a retread of stuff Welsh did far better in his first two books, and then partly a demonstration that he was absolutely incapable of writing about middle- or upper-class characters without resorting to lazy and cliched characterisation. 

He should have been shot after _Marabou Stork Nightmares_. Now, he's the French and Saunders of scheme-lit.


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## laptop (Nov 1, 2008)

Alexander Trocchi


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## Paulie Tandoori (Nov 1, 2008)

bluestreak said:


> How about reading James Kelman?  He's where Welsh got a lot of ideas from, plus he's a better writer.


this is very true. 'how late it was, how late' is one of the best books i've ever read. a book of short stories of his was also brilliant but i gave it to my mate and i can't remember its title.


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## TheHoodedClaw (Nov 1, 2008)

Another decent Scottish novelist is Alasdair Gray. His _Lanark_ is rightly respected. Gray wears his influences on his sleeve with this (Kafka, Borges, random SF authors) but it's a damn fine novel that Irvine Welsh has certainly read. I really like his _Poor Things_ too.


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## Jon-of-arc (Nov 1, 2008)

Maurice Picarda said:


> Possibly, but _Trainspotting_ was fresh and interesting. _Ecstasy_ was partly a retread of stuff Welsh did far better in his first two books, and then partly a demonstration that he was absolutely incapable of writing about middle- or upper-class characters without resorting to lazy and cliched characterisation.
> 
> He should have been shot after _Marabou Stork Nightmares_. Now, he's the French and Saunders of scheme-lit.



Marabou was really good.  I can see how people felt a bit let down by everything from ecstasy to bedroom secrets (although I like most of them), but Crime was a return to form.

Welsh is pretty unique in style, imo.  Never come across anything really comparable.


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## littlebabyjesus (Nov 1, 2008)

As Bluey says, James Kelman. Welsh's style is far from unique or particularly original. 

I liked Trainspotting. Filth bored the pants off me. Trite nonsense.


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## cyberfairy (Nov 1, 2008)

spawnofsatan said:


> Grits by Niall Griffiths



I was about to say that! Takes a while to get into the different dialects but his books are very similar in a wasted druggy way. Martin Millar also writes about drug taking, squats and the like.


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## Jon-of-arc (Nov 1, 2008)

littlebabyjesus said:


> As Bluey says, James Kelman. Welsh's style is far from unique or particularly original.
> 
> I liked Trainspotting. Filth bored the pants off me. Trite nonsense.



Try Crime, the sort-of sequal to filth.  A lot more realistic (3 dimensional charecters, cops who have redeeming charecteristics and aren't made out to be fascist anti-working class wankers, and the subject matter, paedophilia, is treated with a lot of sensitivity - none of welshs usual overly graphic depiction of the particularly nasty parts of his storys).


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## Jon-of-arc (Nov 1, 2008)

cyberfairy said:


> I was about to say that! Takes a while to get into the different dialects but his books are very similar in a wasted druggy way. Martin Millar also writes about drug taking, squats and the like.



Is it just me who thinks the dialect aspect of Welshs books is kind of irrelevant?

But one book which is pretty Irvine Welsh (welsh in bristol!)  is Shawnie by Ed Trewavas.  Well worth a look.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shawnie-Ed-Trewavas/dp/095479138X


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## Meltingpot (Nov 1, 2008)

When I was at school in the 70's, books published by the New English Library (like "Chopper" and Skinhead") had a lot of fans amongst my classmates. They had a sort of gritty realism about them which someone who's read and enjoyed "Trainspotting" would identify with, but they never enjoyed anything like the same literary acclaim.


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## cyberfairy (Nov 1, 2008)

Jon-of-arc said:


> Is it just me who thinks the dialect aspect of Welshs books is kind of irrelevant?
> 
> But one book which is pretty Irvine Welsh (welsh in bristol!)  is Shawnie by Ed Trewavas.  Well worth a look.
> 
> http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shawnie-Ed-Trewavas/dp/095479138X



Not keen on Welsh so don't know-the Gritts book I referred to is written in about five different dialects, scot, geordie, welsh etc so takes a while to get into as to get used to reading one dialect  and then it suddenly changes. 
 Shawnie looks interesting though


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## Paulie Tandoori (Nov 1, 2008)

Grits was very good i thought, much better than other things he's written. i reread it recently and it was like meeting old friends


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## Plastercast (Nov 1, 2008)

Just reserved a load of Kelman books from the local library and will bookmark this thread so as I can try the other authors yous suggested, thanks for the suggestions so far.


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## 5t3IIa (Nov 1, 2008)

I like James Hawes _White Merc with Fins_. UK set, about dissafected white middle class twenty-smoethings, a smattering of drugs and a killer heist.


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## badlands (Nov 1, 2008)

Agree with,

Niall Griffiths
Kelman
and James Hawes


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## Dillinger4 (Nov 1, 2008)

.


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## ebay sex moomin (Nov 1, 2008)

Jon-of-arc said:


> Is it just me who thinks the dialect aspect of Welshs books is kind of irrelevant?


I don't find it irrelevant- for me personally, there's a direct inverse correlation between the amount of dialect and the quality of the writing, with maybe 'glue' as a stand-out exception. 

Haven't read 'crime' yet...



5t3IIa said:


> I like James Hawes _White Merc with Fins_. UK set, about dissafected white middle class twenty-smoethings, a smattering of drugs and a killer heist.


aye, 'white merc' is a good read.


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## Plastercast (Nov 5, 2008)

I'm halfway in on How Late It Was, How Late (James Kelman), bought it from Waterstones as I couldn't wait for the central library to get it in from another branch like. Thanks for that now I can't stop reading it, seriously what the fuck, where's the chapters like? What a strange book but it's good so far, like I say I'm halfway through, which is good for me as I read quite slow normally, should have it finished before the end of the week. and have got a couple of others on order from the library. Not Not While The Giro next and then maybe some of they other authors yous suggested. Thankssss.....


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## subversplat (Nov 5, 2008)

Memo to self: buy these books


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## gabi (Nov 5, 2008)

Dangerous Parking by Stuart Browne.

Hilarious and harrowing. definitely not a happy ending.


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## Paulie Tandoori (Nov 5, 2008)

Plastercast said:


> I'm halfway in on How Late It Was, How Late (James Kelman), bought it from Waterstones as I couldn't wait for the central library to get it in from another branch like. Thanks for that now I can't stop reading it, seriously what the fuck, where's the chapters like? What a strange book but it's good so far, like I say I'm halfway through, which is good for me as I read quite slow normally, should have it finished before the end of the week. and have got a couple of others on order from the library. *Not Not While The Giro *next and then maybe some of they other authors yous suggested. Thankssss.....


that's the short story one i mentioned earlier. very enjoyable iirc.


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## mtbskalover (Nov 5, 2008)

ive not long started 'addict' by stephen smith.  about amphetamine addiction.  i was not expecting the bloke to get into drugs the way he did.

hope its not how ol' meth lab did... ;-)  (joke bud)


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## sojourner (Nov 5, 2008)

Agree with Kelman and Gray, and would add

Stuart, A Life Backwards, by Alexander Masters.  Okay, it's not fiction, but it's fucked up, in terms of the shite Stuart goes through, and more fucked up precisely because it's NOT fiction

Like Being Killed by Ellen Miller. Another disclaimer - it's not UK, but it's one of the most fucked up novels I've ever read.  Had me wincing. The blurb for it sounds dire:  ...is the 90s bratpack dream gone wrong: a novel of drugs, dependency and the myth of the sisterhood, it takes the trust implicit in female friendship to its ultimate conclusions...

but it's a decent novel


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## sojourner (Nov 5, 2008)

gabi said:


> Dangerous Parking by Stuart Browne.
> 
> Hilarious and harrowing. definitely not a happy ending.



Excellent - loved that


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## Paulie Tandoori (Nov 5, 2008)

sojourner said:


> Stuart, A Life Backwards, by Alexander Masters.  Okay, it's not fiction, but it's fucked up, in terms of the shite Stuart goes through, and more fucked up precisely because it's NOT fiction


that's a fantastic book i thought, totally engrossing stuff, dark but humorous, sad yet uplifting, proper out there.


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## sojourner (Nov 5, 2008)

Paulie Tandoori said:


> that's a fantastic book i thought, totally engrossing stuff, dark but humorous, sad yet uplifting, proper out there.



Yep

I'm thinking of re-reading it - just got it back off a mate who's had it for a year


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## Paulie Tandoori (Nov 5, 2008)

a year!!! ffs, some people. i'm off round a mate's on friday to pick up a selection of books that he's borrowed and seems to have taken ages to read (including my copy of Grits funnily enough).


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## gabi (Nov 5, 2008)

sojourner said:


> Excellent - loved that



Did you know they've made a movie out of it? I made the mistake of downloading it. To say it doesn't do the novel justice is an understatement of the highest order. The director seems to totally miss the (somewhat bleak) point of the book.


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## sojourner (Nov 5, 2008)

Paulie Tandoori said:


> a year!!! ffs, some people. i'm off round a mate's on friday to pick up a selection of books that he's borrowed and seems to have taken ages to read (including my copy of Grits funnily enough).



a year is about average with my mates   at least they do give them back though - i've lost christ knows how many books to acquaintances and family


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## sojourner (Nov 5, 2008)

gabi said:


> Did you know they've made a movie out of it? I made the mistake of downloading it. To say it doesn't do the novel justice is an understatement of the highest order. The director seems to totally miss the (somewhat bleak) point of the book.



No I didn't know, but honestly, I'm not surprised.  I'm let down so often by films of beloved books that I automatically develop a sneer when I hear about it now 

One of the few that didn't do that was Fear and Loathing in las vegas* - I got a big daft grin on my face when the opening line was narrated  



*and Brokeback Mountain, goes without saying


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## Rainingstairs (Nov 5, 2008)

Chuck Palahniuk.


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## goldenecitrone (Nov 5, 2008)

If you want something a bit more mainstream then Ian Rankin's Rebus books are okay, if a bit like a Scottish version of the Bill.


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## sojourner (Nov 5, 2008)

Rainingstairs said:


> Chuck Palahniuk.



is that a book?


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## gabi (Nov 5, 2008)

Anything by Bret Easton Ellis is fucking great. I particularly loved Glamorama. But not sure if it will have aged well... I recall it being genius though. I'm sure he and Welsh must have compared notes at some point.


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## goldenecitrone (Nov 5, 2008)

sojourner said:


> is that a book?



No, it's the Native American expression for vomiting, a bit like the Ozzie's 'pavement pizza'.


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## ebay sex moomin (Nov 5, 2008)

mtbskalover said:


> ive not long started 'addict' by stephen smith.  about amphetamine addiction.  i was not expecting the bloke to get into drugs the way he did.


that's a cracker. It looks like sensationalist crap from the cover, but it's truly a remarkable story. 

another vote for 'stuart- a life backwards' here too. if anyone enjoyed these two, you should definitely read 'the junk yard' book that I mentioned on page one. the writing is superb, and the stories are both bleak and funny.


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## Part 2 (Nov 8, 2008)

I remember Steven Smith coming to Manchester looking to make a film based on Addict.. He struck me as being a bit of a cock and I remember thinking there were elements of the story that didn't quite ring true although I can't remember what they were. Certainly got no desire to read it again to find out, all that Robin Hood nonsense.

Iced by Ray Shell is a similar book I think, reads like it might be true but at least the author doesn't pretend it is.

Early Irvine Welsh is good, Acid House and Trainspotting, but couldn't be arsed after that.

No Mean City by Alexander McArthur and H. Kingsley Long is the best 'Scottish' book I've read. Written in 1935, harsh as fuck.

http://www.list.co.uk/article/2794-...-alexander-mcarthur-and-h-kingsley-long-1935/


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## Ich bin ein Mod (Nov 8, 2008)

If you're after some more Kelman, I'd recommend "A Chancer", think its up there with "How Late it Was, How Late"

Alasdair Gray is easily the greatest Scottish writer though.


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## Plastercast (Nov 28, 2008)

I took A Chancer out from the library, but I couldn't get past the first chapter because I cannot stand gambling and card games. I think I need to open up my mind a little, likesay learn to enjoy things regardless of what they're about. Like look past the set and setting and see the story, the bit that is important. I have Busconductor Hines on order, but someone else has it on loan at present. Fucking bampot bastards, return it to the library at once!!!

I think what I liked most about 'How Late...' is that it's first person... I realised this when I took a book out today and after three pages I took it back. Not because it was bad but. If I remember rightly most of my favourite books are written in the first person. I like getting into the main character's mind, having them tell me what's happening to them, rather than being told a story about some people by a narrator. Maybe that's why most of the story books on my shelf are non-fiction autobiographical stories - they're written from one person's perspective and they are the main character like.


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