Glue

"Glue" was my first Welsh experience. I have seen the film "Trainspotting," but have yet to read the text."Glue" is a wonderful story for those who appreciate the struggles and the work involved in solidifying good friendships. The book hit a personal note within myself and should do with those who know what it's like to grow up with two or more very close friends.I would rather not dive into any descriptive detail about the book, as I would recommend going into it blindly the same way I did. Just know that it has all the elements: the comedy, the tragedy, the drama, the humour, the violence, the sex, etc. It's quite a wild ride, like many of us have had ourselves.

Yeah, I know saying that this is better than Trainspotting sets me up for ridicule, but it has to be said. Unlike Trainspotting, Glue has four fully fleshed out characters. Sure, trainspotting had four main characters, but Spud, Sickboy and Begbie were fairly one dimensional, especially in comparison to the four main characters of Glue. Glue has four well developed characters, and although their actions at times will drive you mad, you can't help but like them. At least, I couldn't. At its heart, this book is about friendship, above all else and that's where most of the pleasure of reading it comes from. Four kids become friends at the beginning of their life due largely to circumstance, but one's father teaches them the most important rule in life, always back up your mates. It is this theme that carries the book, no matter what they endure and even when they aren't the closest of friends, they're always there for each other when they're needed. The book uses time effectively, using it to show the ways people and friendships can and will change over time, which is another thing that Trainspotting lacked. Its conclusion is more satisfying, and ultimately I found its story more entertaining as a whole than Trainspotting.That said, there is a complaint that this book has drawn on the board that needs to be addressed: the dialect. Yes, nearly all of this book is written in a heavy heavy Scottish dialect. It's used extremely well though. It is only used when the reader is actually inside a characters mind, listening in on his thoughts (which admittedly, is nearly the entire book). This makes sense though, after all, one likely thinks the same way he talks. The characters talk with an accent, odds are they think in an accent too. The accent also gives a unique identification with the characters as well, lending each one a distintive voice. Not to mention, it would be rather unrealistic if a group of teens from the working class of Edinburgh spoke in perfect American English. And if readers could slug through "Clockwork Orange" where the slang isn't even real, it really isn't too difficult to figure out that "nae" means "no" and that "bairns" means "kids." You may want to read Trainspotting first, since most copies of that come with a glossary, which is helpful, although a bit incomplete. You'll also notice characters from Trainspotting make cameos in Glue.

Irvine Welsh blows my mind, with his genious. Having lived in Scotland for 26 years (I'm a weedgie! (Glaswegian)), I got into the dialect easily, and was instantly "glued" to the book. Fantastic stuff. Vulgar, depraved, hilarious, sexy, sad and joyous all at the same time. Welsh's books take you places no other author can or could go. Brilliant. Please make a movie.

Many might feel with this effort that Welsh is merely rehashing Trainspotting...in fact all of the major characters from that story make a brief appearance in Glue. Nevertheless, though Welsh's familiar themes of drug abuse, sex and delinquency abound, Glue is a story about people. The book details the life of four close friends growing up in Scotland from the 1970s into the new millenium...through troubles and joys. It is a fun read told with Welsh's unrestrained yet stylish flair. The human element is very strong here...we see the four friends in every light; what brings them together, what drives them apart and ultimately the tragedy that they must all overcome. It is a sad and beautiful story, yet more upbeat than some of Welsh's previous works. Personally, I think it is his finest. If you enjoyed Welsh's other efforts, definitely pick this one up today. It is worth every page.

"Glue" is Welsh's best since "Trainspotting." I have loved all of his books (even if "Filth" was a Scottish version of "The Bad Lieutenant"). This time, there's no wacky parasite running down the middle of a page declaring its hunger, no wacky type face or font putting you in the frame of mind of the user. "Glue" is the straightforward tale of four boys growing up in the schemes (projects) of Edinburgh. Their friendship tries to survive the test of time as their lives take different paths. There's Juice-Terry, the womanizer of the group; Carl Ewart, record collector who becomes a world class DJ: Billy Birrell, the boxer; and Andrew Galloway, whose life takes many tragic turns. Welsh once again displays his gift with language. A lot of readers complain about his use of Scottish dialect, but after you've read his other books it becomes quite easy to read. This book features his most sympathetic characters to date; in fact I found myself getting teary-eyed in many scenes because I did not want bad things to happen to them. But of course this is Irvine Welsh's world, so bad things happen to them all. There are great set pieces (such as the entire Oktoberfest in which they befriend German ravers), plenty of drugs, and plenty of shagging. God, I did not want this book to end. There are even cameos from the lads of "Trainspotting" which take place before and after that landmark work. If you are a Welsh fan, you will love this...