The longlist for the 2011 Man Booker Prize has been announced. Early bookies’ favourite is former winner Alan Hollinghurst with The Stranger’s Child but I’m really pleased to see four first-time novelists included on the list and they certainly can’t be ruled out at this stage. I tend to dislike Booker winners finding them self-indulgent and rather dull, but each year I read the list and pick up the winner. I hope this year’s will be one that I love, maybe 2011 is my year?