Another plaudit comes Welsh’s way. In a Scottish Book Trust poll Trainspotting has just been voted the favourite Scottish novel of the last half-century. Congratulations are in order. Can’t argue with a popular vote. But Welsh is right to raise doubts about the award. He says he’s not convinced it’s the best book he has ever written, and nor am I. And as I will be showing in my book, it is not a novel, and furthermore Trainspotting owes a great deal to its editor, Robin Robertson. Give the big man his due, though, for being insightful and bold, and let’s acknowledge he has writing talent. Sure, Trainspotting has merit, and it became an object of study around the world, something you can’t say for some other contenders for the award. Welsh owes more than a pint to Harry Gibson and Ian Brown (of Trainspotting the play) and to Danny Boyle and his gang (of Trainspotting the film) for turning his book into such a cultural phenomenon.
