Children of Albion Rovers ("Rebel Inc")

By Gordon LeggePaul ReekieJames Meek, et al.

Book Overview

Children of Albion Rovers is the best-selling and critically acclaimed collection of novellas that features six of the most exciting young writers to emerge from Scotland in the 90s: award-winning authors Irvine Welsh, Alan Warner, Gordon Legge, and James Meek and introducing the striking new talents of Laura Hird and Paul Reekie. Children of Albion Rovers is a world of tripped-out crematorium attendants (Alan Warner), vengeful traffic-wardens (James Meek), born-again vinyl junkies (Gordon Legge), and teenage girls who sexually humiliate their teachers (Laura Hird). Also included are Paul Reekie's fictional account of ideals betrayed, and Irvine Welsh's first ever sci-fi story, featuring alien space casuals wreaking havoc through the known universe. The resulting mix is intoxicating to say the least.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0862417317
• ISBN13: 9780862417314
• Release Date: January 2001
• Publisher: Canongate Books
• Length: 334 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.1" x 7.7"

Customer Reviews

Great Introduction to "New" Scottish Writing

An excellent introduction to "new Scottish writing" this collection features one short story each from Irvine Welsh (Filth, Trainspotting, Ecstacy Club, Maribou Stork Nightmare), Alan Warner (Morvern Callar, These Demented Lands,The Sopranos), Gordon Legge (The Shoe, In Between Talking About the Football), James Meek (Drivetime), Laura Hird, and Paul Reekie. Gordon Legge's "Pop Life" is a gruffly tender portrait of three friends who've grown up and apart. Alan Warner's "After the Vision" is typically long on tone and atmosphere as it follows a stranded raver trying to find a place to sleep until the morning train. James Meek's "Brown Pint of Courage" amusingly depicts a trio of parking ticket writers who blow off their job. Paul Reekie's "The Submission" was perhaps the lesser of the six stories, written as a long rambling letter to a friend. The most "sexy" story is by the lone female entrant, Laura Hird, whose "The Dilating Pupil" is about a middle-aged teacher and a female student who have designs on each other which are derailed in a night of booze and drugs. Irvine Welsh's "The Rosewell Incident" is the shallowest, but possibly funniest read of the lot. It throws together alien abduction and "lads" in an unholy alliance to rule the world. A bit silly but fun. The collection as a whole is well worth checking out if you want to see what the Scottish kids are up to.