When I was a teacher, I taught this book and I'll never forget the way my students reacted to it upon first reading.
In one seminar I taught this term, on the concept of a free press, we examined government and corporate censorship and the elusive ideals of objectivity and fairness.
She has received e-mails "with a lot of curse words," she said, and some that accuse her of having caused the problem, writing that "I taught this guy to shoot a gun".
When I taught this book in schools my students salivated – not purely on the ubiquitous drug use or the wanton acts of violence – but on the honest, accurate and chaotic friendships between Renton, Sickboy, Spud, Tommy and Begby.
I can assure you the very first thing I taught this dog when I got her was, ' Never jump into a carriage and scare people.' " Cop (reddening): "Are you trying to be funny?" Mr. Dale (stoutly): "Sir, I'm having no difficulty!" Happy to have an audience, he dissolves into laughter.
And most of all, I taught this for many years!
