Irvine Welsh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Irvine Welsh
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Welsh at the 2004 Edinburgh International Book Festival
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| Born | 27 September 1958 (age 66) Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Alma mater | Heriot-Watt University (MBA) |
| Genre | Novel, play, short story |
| Literary movement | Postmodern literature |
| Notable works | Trainspotting (1993) The ... House (1994) Marabou Stork Nightmares (1995) ... (1998) Glue (2001) ... (2002) ...boys (2012) A Decent Ride (2015) |
Irvine Welsh (born 27 September 1958) is a Scottish novelist and short story writer. His most famous novel is Trainspotting, which was published in 1993. It was later made into a popular film of the same name. Welsh has also written plays, screenplays, and has directed several short films.
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Early Life and Career
Irvine Welsh was born in Leith, a part of Scotland's capital city, Edinburgh. When he was four, his family moved to a neighborhood called Muirhouse. His mother was a waitress, and his father worked as a dock worker and later as a carpet salesman.
At 16, Welsh left high school and trained to be an electrician. He worked as a TV repairman for a while. In 1978, he moved to London and joined the punk music scene. He played guitar and sang in a couple of bands. After some time in London, Welsh decided to make some positive changes in his life. He started working for the local government and studied computing.
In the late 1980s, Welsh returned to Edinburgh. He worked for the city's housing department and earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Heriot-Watt University.
Writing Career
Irvine Welsh has written many novels and collections of short stories. His books often explore what life was like for the working class in Scotland from the 1960s to today.
Famous Novels
Welsh's first novel, Trainspotting (1993), became very well-known. It tells the story of a group of young friends in Edinburgh. They are trying to escape the boredom and difficulties of their lives. The book was a huge success and was adapted into both a play and a hit movie. Welsh even had a small part in the film.
His other books often feature characters and places from his earlier stories.
- The ... House (1994) is a collection of short stories. Some stories have fantasy elements, like one where a man is turned into a fly by God.
- Marabou Stork Nightmares (1995) is a novel that switches between a story set in Scotland and an adventure in South Africa.
- ... (1998) is about a police officer who is not a very good person. This book was also made into a movie.
- Glue (2001) follows the lives of four friends over many years, showing the strong bond between them.
- ... (2002) is a sequel to Trainspotting, catching up with the characters ten years later.
- ...boys (2012) is a prequel to Trainspotting. It shows the characters when they were younger in the early 1980s.
Welsh continues to write new books. The Blade Artist (2016) is about a character from Trainspotting who seems to have changed his life. Another book, Dead Men's Trousers (2018), brings many of the famous characters back together again.
Writing Style
Welsh is known for writing his stories in the Edinburgh dialect of Scots. This means he writes the words just as they sound when spoken in his hometown. This makes his stories feel very real and authentic. He also likes to experiment with how the words look on the page.
Work in Film and Theatre
Besides writing books, Welsh has been very involved in film and theatre. He has written several plays, including Headstate and You'll Have Had Your Hole.
He also co-wrote screenplays with his writing partner, Dean Cavanagh. One of their projects was Wedding Belles, a TV film about four friends. In 2021, his novel ... was turned into a TV series, which was the first time one of his books was adapted for television.
Welsh has also directed short films, including one for the band Keane in 2006.
Personal Life
Irvine Welsh has lived in different cities, including Dublin, Ireland, and Chicago and Miami in the United States. In 2022, he married Emma Currie.
He is a big fan of the Hibernian F.C. football team. He also supports the idea of Scottish independence.
List of Adaptations
Many of Irvine Welsh's books have been adapted into movies, TV shows, and plays.
Film
- Trainspotting (1996)
- The ... House (1998)
- ... (2011)
- ... (2013)
- T2 Trainspotting (2017)
- Creation Stories (2021)
Theatre
- ...
- Glue
- ...
- Trainspotting
- Marabou Stork Nightmares
- ...
Television
- ...
See also
In Spanish: Irvine Welsh para niños
