Irvine Welsh

by Aaron Kelly

Irvine Welsh's fiction has defined an era, and this first full-length study provides a sustained textual and contextual analysis of all his work, from 'Trainspotting' and 'The Acid House' to 'Glue' and 'Porno'. A detailed chronological survey also considers the appropriateness of cultural, postmodern and postcolonial theories to Welsh's incendiary fiction.

Kelly gives a fascinating insight into the writer's formal and political ambitions, placing him in the context of the 'brat pack' which exploded onto the Scottish literary scene in the 1990s. He explores the social, class and political conditioning of Welsh's early life, and its impact on his motivations for writing.

Clearly written and accessible, this will be a key resource for students and academics alike. Choose 'Irvine Welsh'!

Genres: Nonfiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published October 7, 2005

About the author

Aaron Kelly teaches at Edinburgh University. He is the author of The Thriller and Northern Ireland (2005), Irvine Welsh (2005), Twentieth-Century Irish Literature (2008) and James Kelman: Politics and Aesthetics (2013). He has guest edited two special issues of The Irish Review: Contemporary Northern Ireland Culture (2009) and Cultures of Class (2013).

Reviews

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the "reading man's" Cliff's Notes. This book not only summarizes the stories, but it also goes into in-depth explorations of geography, such as the George IV Bridge landmark, but also into political elements, such as the ubiquitous Thatcher.

I'm surprised more people haven't commented on this.