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Trainspotting

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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.


Read the seminal bestselling novel that changed the face of British fiction and inspired Danny Boyle's film.

'The best book ever written by man or woman... Deserves to sell more copies than the Bible' Rebel Inc

Choose us. Choose life. Choose mortgage payments; choose washing machines; choose cars; choose sitting oan a couch watching mind-numbing and spirit-crushing game shows, stuffing fuckin junk food intae yir mooth. Choose rotting away, pishing and shiteing yersel in a home, a total fuckin embarrassment tae the selfish, fucked-up brats ye've produced.
Choose life.

'Welsh writes with a skill, wit and compassion that amounts to genius.' Sunday Times


© Irvine Welsh 1993 (P) Penguin Audio 2007

 Dark Humour Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction Urban World Literature Funny Witty Scary Thought-Provoking Comedy

Critic reviews

The arrival of Trainspotting was an earth-shaking cultural moment and it had a huge influence on me… This book sings and, in the darkest moments, it shines with humour and friendship. Every character here is alive (DOUGLAS STUART, Booker Prize-winning author of Shuggie Bain and Young Mungo)
Abhorrently dark and raw to the core, Trainspotting is an insight into one of life’s many ugly personalities — addiction and the accompanying domino effect of grim inevitabilities… Irvine Welsh’s novel will always be a cult classic.
Welsh’s skill as a storyteller is undeniable, bringing both wit and compassion to a grim subject matter. If you liked Danny Boyle’s film adaptation, you’ll love the original.
Welsh writes with a skill, wit and compassion that amounts to genius. He is the best thing that has happened to British writing for decades
One of the most significant writers in Britain. He writes with style, imagination, wit and force
The voice of punk, grown up, grown wiser and grown eloquent
An unremitting powerhouse of a novel - Loud with laughter in the dark, this novel is the real McCoy
A novel perpetually in a starburst of verbal energy - a vernacular spectacular...the stories we hear are retched from the gullet
The Scottish Celine
All stars
Most relevant
Having seen the movie several times, and holding it in such esteem that I rank it within my top ten favourite films of all time, I have been meaning to read this book for as long as I can remember. The truth is I have actually owned a paperback copy of “Trainspotting” since about 1997 when I received it as a Christmas present, but had failed to get to grips with the strong Scottish dialect that Irvine Welsh used which was so integral to the story. I think I read the first couple of chapters before giving up, despite a friend of mine telling me that if you persevered, you would eventually get used to all the Scots slang and dialect. So, when I saw an unabridged audiobook was available, I had to give it a go.

And I was not disappointed. This is one of the best novels I have ever read/heard. It is in fact better than the movie and very different. Welsh really is talented and he writes it as a series of vignettes, each narrated by a different character, though most are narrated by the main character, Mark Renton. This novel is both funny and sad, and at times somewhat graphic and vulgar, yet it always remains honest and real.

And I cannot end this review without mentioning the impressive performance of Tam Dean Burn. I do not think there is anyone that could have provided better storytelling than Mr Burn here. It was spot on. He really brought this audiobook to life, and I am pleased to have discovered he narrates other works by Irvine Welsh. If you have not yet heard this audiobook, then give it a go. You will not be disappointed.

Choose...This Audiobook!!!

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Listened a few times and Tam Dean Burn is the best at voices. Such a range.

Loved it

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Amazing writing and humour, the language is as compelling as the storyline itself. I highly recommend that you have a good read

Great book

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Dark humour had me laughing out loud a few times.
Well worth a listen -

Loved it

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Simply put, it's an all time classic. A must read for anyone that appreciates strong characters, and dark humour

A masterpiece

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