Irvine Welsh has been a cultural figurehead for more than three decades – having surged into the public consciousness with his debut novel, Trainspotting, in 1993, so began a literary career that has encompassed eleven novels, various collections of short stories, plays, screenplays, directorial roles, and a number of musical endeavours.
Trainspotting alone is something of a cultural phenomenon. It has spawned four novels – a prequel, Skagboys, and two sequels, Porno and Dead Men’s Trousers (its characters have also appeared in The Acid House, Marabou Stork Nightmares, Ecstasy and Filth), a stage play, an acclaimed movie directed by Danny Boyle, and a musical. A new sequel to his acclaimed novel is on the way: it will arrive on July 3 2025 and focuses on a “transitional” period for the characters in their mid-twenties which Welsh described as an “interesting time in the lives of men” who start to become “serious in their quest for romance” as you “start to believe in your own mortality for the first time.” WHITE RABBIT LITERARY SALON (Hôtel de la Cité, TICKET EVENT TBA SOON) SUNDAY 19.00—21.00 (Le Bar à Vins, ENTRY WITH FESTIVAL WRISTBAND)
