I’m writing a book. I’m busy drawing on a great depth of local, personal knowledge from thirty years living in Leith and running the Trainspotting tours for eight. The book aims to tell the story behind the story of Trainspotting the book, the play and the film. It should be finished in 2013.
The book is well on its way, but it’s not too late to make a contribution. If you have knowledge of the drug scene in Leith or Edinburgh in the 1980s, or if you have a good insight into or opinion of any of Trainspotting’s manifestations, why not email Tim now? If requested, confidentiality and anonymity is guaranteed.
Provisionally titled ‘Choose Life, Choose Leith’ this book will provide the most comprehensive guide to the Trainspotting trilogy. By examining the book, the play and the film, it both critically analyses the Trainspotting phenomenon in its various forms, and contextualises the importance of the location in Leith and the culture of 1980s Britain. Looking in detail at the history of Leith, the drug culture, the spread of HIV/AIDs, and how Trainspotting affected drug policy, Leith, and the Scottish identity, the book highlights the importance of Trainspotting.