This was the second book of Welsh’s that I have read, the first being of course the incomparable Trainspotting. This was a collection of short stories and a novella, some of which was along similar lines as his famous first novel, and other pieces that looked in other directions. Throughout the reader can count on Welsh’s wiseguy drollery, quick pacing, and narrative surprises. He often paints a dark picture, but the humor of a rebellious, working-class youth is never far from the surface. He sees the world in a negative light, full of backstabbing and fatuousness, but somehow that is all right – the evils of life are redeemed by the adventures and odd individuals that his characters run into.Welsh is very devoted to the working class Scottish milieu in which he himself grew up. Most of these stories are set there or feature characters from it, and much of his work is written, Robert Burns style, in the way that the Scots speak. In fact, there is a certain type of character that is the focus is most his writing: a young, Scots male – disillusioned, fond of drink and/or drugs, an intelligent non achiever with a wiseguy attitude. Mark Renton, the hero of Trainspotting, was just such a character, as is Brian, the lead in the novella. Brian travels the same streets as Renton and his mates, and even knows a couple of the same characters. It all seems quite believable, although the level of violence and drug consumption must be a bit exaggerated. I enjoyed Brian’s story for reasons similar to why I liked "Trainspotting" – the wit, the realistic feel, the vicarious pleasures of walking on the wild side. But somehow his story did not move me as much as Mark’s did – perhaps because Mark was walking through the darker and more dangerous world of heroin addiction, and there was a stronger plot. Plot by the way is not Welsh’s strong point as a writer – his longer stories can have an aimless, episodic feel which can be enjoyable.The book starts off with “The Shooter”, a first rate little thriller with a nasty little twist at the end. This is followed by perhaps the best story in the collection: “Eurotrash”, the tale of another young Scottish tough who finds himself in Amsterdam and enmeshed with a strange, trashy woman. “The Two Philosophers” is about two philosophy professors who debate their ideas in a blue collar bar, and end up pressured by local bad boys into doing something they ordinarily would not do. Welsh also shows another side in some of these stories: a more absurd and experimental approach that sometimes yields clever results. My favorite in this vein is “Snowman Building Parts for Rico the Squirrel”, which is a hilarious spoof of a corny Hollywood movie. Oh yes, and 3 of these stories were made into good short films and released together with the same title of the book. All in all, a fine collection from this unique talent.
Поне за мен, най-доброто произведение на Ървин Уелш е “Есид Хаус”, сборник от разкази и кратки новели, в които се разказва за разврата на младото поколение, както и сексуалните туистове и катастрофи, които могат да се случат в едно такова отворено общество. Та да започна с най-ярките разкази/новели:“Сексуалното минало на Робърт К. Леърд” : Това е най-кратичкото разказче, което някога съм чел. Състои се от три кратки изречения. След заглавието има няколко празни страници, а на последната от тях пише:“Рoб не го е правил нито веднъж в живота си. Клетото копеле. Да се има предвид, че не изглежда особено притеснен. “Еми, това е разказа. Просто и ясно. И кратко.“Евротраш” : Разказът е за един пич, който отива в Амстердам и там се запознава с доста развратно изглеждаща и усукана мадама, която от своя страна, си падала предимно по аналния секс. Е, пича нямал нищо против и изпълнявал изискванията й. След различни перипетии и случки (които няма да разказвам) пичът разбира, че мадамата всъщност е била бивш МЪЖ! Мъж, който се е подложил на операция за смяна на половете! ЕЕЕЕЕ, е на това се казва изненада (по-скоро преебаване) ! Яко му прилошало де...Останалото ревю:http://lammoth.wordpress.com/2010/07/...
What do You think about The Acid House (1995)?
Let me say that Irvine Welsh is my all time favorite author. Books such as Trainspotting and Ecstasy are pinnacles of modern fiction (alright, not so modern anymore, I guess). His stories are always insane, his characters flawed but wonderful, and the usage of Scottish vernacular is the coolest way books have been written since A Clockwork Orange. The Acid House is a hit and miss short story collection. Don't get me wrong; probably half the stories are brilliant, as usual. Sadly, the other half can be boring, pointless and at some points fucked up, even for Irvine Welsh. Overall, I'd say this book is definitely a must for people already hooked on Welsh's writings. For others just poking around for an approachable read, or looking to get into Irvine Welsh, I wouldn't recommend this be your start. Read this book, definitely, but once you're used to Irvine Welsh and know what to expect. Otherwise, this may just seem to be a big flubbery mess with it's obvious brilliance scattered about, when really, it's a great, quirky collection of some very odd stories.Highlights: The Granton Star Cause, The Acid House, Vat '96, The Last Resort on the Adriatic, Snuff
—Dan
I'm not sure how I feel about short stories. I find them very easy to read, but rather unsatisfying. This might be because I'm slow to empathise with characters and situations, so don't make those quick connections that are important for short stories. Or it might be that because they're short and easy they don't make me feel like I've done some serious reading.I read an essay about Trainspotting once, before I'd read the book, that argued that while the film had its good points, it failed to present Renton & co.'s lifestyle as a viable alternative. Reading the Acid House, and in particular the novella A Smart Cunt, the contours of this alternative become more clear. It's a lifestyle designed to enable the acquisition and use of various drugs. The scale and urgency of use varies, but they are always an organising principle. Casual work, benefits, itinerancy, canny union reps, the erratic kindness of friends and family, petty theft and dealing, rent and tax arrears.The characters in Welsh's stories live on the margins but their lives don't seem precarious. They have no careers, possessions, houses, happiness, dreams or people they really care about that they can lose. The lack of formal structure in their lives gives them resilience. The only things they really risk are their bodies, battered by drugs, police, thugs, friends, neglect.
—Tiredstars
This collection was my first introduction to Irvine Welsh in any medium and I'm well hooked already. Some of the stories here felt like filler, but quite rarely, and the only one I didn't enjoy was not for a lack of talent but rather that I plain found it upsetting that the Two Philosophers ended up coming to blows. Really, the best stories in here are more than engrossing and/or demented enough to make up for a moment's regret at witnessing two men of reason succumbing to human nature. The title story and the Granton Star Cause were absolute social and metaphysical masterpieces, and even the more typical drugs & shagging ones like Eurotrash and Stoke Newington Blues were unforgettable for me. The stories here were such that I couldn't help but want to talk with people about the themes and underlying meaning, yet this is not exactly book club fodder. Also useful for getting the hang of the Scots dialect before going into a full work...Trainspotting, here I come!
—Brett
