“Words should have the power to inform and to move, not the power to send people scurrying away. But if you attach that much emotional energy to a word, it gives people the power to hurt each other.”

Scottish novelist and playwright of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, Welsh is best known for his sharp, unflinching depictions of working-class life in Glasgow. His debut novel, *Trainspotting*, became a defining work of contemporary British literature, blending dark humor with raw social commentary. His later works, including *Filth* and *The Acid House*, continue to explore similar themes with equal intensity.