Trainspotting is the first novel by Scottish writer Irvine Welsh, first published in 1993. It takes the form of a collection of short stories, written in either Scots, Scottish English or British English, revolving around various residents of Leith, Edinburgh, who either use heroin, are friends of the core group of heroin users, or engage in destructive activities that are effectively addictions. The novel is set in the late 1980s[1] and has been described by The Sunday Times as "the voice of punk, grown up, grown wiser and grown eloquent".[2]. The title is an ironic reference to the characters’ frequenting of the disused Leith Central railway station.
The novel has since achieved a cult status and served as the basis for the film Trainspotting (1996), directed by Danny Boyle.[3] A sequel, Porno, was published in 2002 and a prequel, Skagboys, was published in 2012.[4]
