Books
x dismiss this message

Did you know you can edit this page?

see page history

Description edit see section history

An epic novel about the bonds of friendship from the author of Trainspotting . The story of four boys growing up in the Edinburgh projects, Glue is about the loyalties, the experiences, and the secrets that hold friends together through three decades. The boys become men: Juice Terry, the... read more

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit

Write a ridiculously simplified synopsis.

Summary edit see section history

Glue is the story of four boys growing up in the Edinbugh schemes, and bout the loyalties, the experiences and the secrets that hold them together into their thirties.

As we follow their lives from the seventies into the new century - from punk to techno, from speed to Es - we can see... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)

Glue is the story of four boys growing up in the Edinbugh schemes, and bout the loyalties, the experiences and the secrets that hold them together into their thirties.

As we follow their lives from the seventies into the new century - from punk to techno, from speed to Es - we can see each of them trying to struggle out from under the weight of the conditioning of class and culture, peer pressure, and their parents' hopes that maybe their sons will do better than they did. What binds the four of them is the friendship formed by the scheme, their school, and their ambition to escape from both; their loyalty is fused in street morality: back up your mates, don't hit women and, most importantly, never grass - on anyone.

Popular Covers

Loading covers…

Choose your book’s cover

Quotes edit see section history

  • “Terry, you're a guy. There's always strings attached.”
    Kathryn Joyner

Setting & Locations edit see section history

Most of the action in this book takes place in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is the home to the four main characters, their friends and their families.
Show all 23 settings

First Sentence edit see section history

The sun rose up from behind the concrete of the block of flats opposite, beaming straight into their faces.

Table of Contents edit see section history

I. Round About 1970: The Man of the House
1. Windows '70
2. Terry Lawson: The First Day at School
3. Carl Ewart: The Works
4. Billy Birrell: Two Royal Pests
5. Andrew Galloway: The Man of the House

II. 1980ish: The Last (Fish) Supper
1. Windows '80
2. Terry Lawson: Juiced Up | Uncle Alec | Sally and Sid James
3. Billy Birrell: Sex as a Football Substitute | The Referee's a Bastard | Copper Wire
4. Andrew Galloway: Lateness | The Sporting Life | Clouds | A (Virgin) Soldier's Song : The Rockford Files v. The Professionals | No Man of the House
5. Carl Ewart: Sex Education | Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me) | Jews and Gentiles | Drinking to Forget | Debut Shag

III. It Must Have Been 1990: Hitler's Local
1. Windows '90
2. Billy Birrell: The Hills | Memories of Italia
3. Andrew Galloway: Training | Nightmares on Elm Row | Limitations
4. Terry Lawson: Part-timers | Domestics | Home on the Grange | The Wheatsheaf | The Persistence of Shagging Problems | Freedom of Choice | Clubland | Competition
5. Carl Ewart: Ich Bin Ein Edinburgher | Contingency Planning | Foreskin | Now That's What I Call Chorin | The Munich Beer Festival | Fight For the Right to Party

IV. Approximately 2000: A Festival Atmosphere
1. Windows '00
2. Edinburgh, Scotland: Abandonment | A Fringe Club
3. Somewhere Near the Blue Mountains, New South Wales, Australian
4. Edinburgh, Scotland: Post Mother, Post Alec | The Balmoral | Cocks Oot fir the Lassies | Record Company | I Know You're Using Me
5. Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia
6. Edinburgh, Scotland: Scum | The Replica Shirt Problem | Marketing Opportunities | Richard Gere
7. Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia
8. Edinburgh, Scotland: Memories of Pipers DiSCOTec
9. Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia
10. Edinburgh, Scotland: Air-brush It | An Urban Myth | Pished, Drugged, Laid | A Welcome Alternative to Filth and Violence | Gimme Medication | The Rabbit | An American in Leith | Stone Island
11. Sydney Airport, NSW, Australia
12. Edinburgh, Scotland: The Bitterest Pill is Mine to Take | Taxi | Stars and Cigarettes
13. In-Flight
14. Edinburgh, Scotland: Our Bona Fide Guests
15. Heathrow Airport, London, England
16. Edinburgh, Scotland: The Business Bar | Islands in the Stream
17. Glasgow, Scotland
18. Edinburgh, Scotland: Git Her Shoes Oaf! Get Her Slacks Oaf! | Baberton Mains | Slipping | Fucked and Hassled | The End

V. Reprise: 2002: The Golden Era

Series & Lists edit see section history

This is book 3 of 3 in Trainspotting. (standard series)

Preceded by Porno.

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

  1. Irvine Welsh (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Original Language: English
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Country: USA
Publication Date: 2001
ISBN: 0393322157
Page Count: 470

Classification edit see section history

More Books Like This edit see section history

   
  • Trainspotting
  • Porno

We’re hiding the errata, movie connections, books that influenced this book, books influenced by this book, books that cite this book and books cited by this book sections. If you would like to add content to them, you must first make them visible.