The Booker longlist is out, and I've just read an amazing book that's been included: Colm Toibin's "Brooklyn." I just couldn't put it down - in fact, I had to sedate myself one night to stop reading it and go to sleep - a true gift of a book. Having had the pleasure of meeting the author, I've sent him an enthusiastic e-mail conveying how much I'd like to see him win. Now I'm not making this up, but there have been precisely 3 occasions in the past when I've wished an author the best of luck for winning the Booker. The first time was Yann Martel for "Life of Pi." The second was Kiran Desai for "The Inheritance of Loss." And last year, bowled over by "The White Tiger," I sent an e-mail to Aravind Adiga saying I was rooting for him. It was actually a little chilling when Adiga won, just like Desai and Martel before him. Could I have some sort of weird knack at this? (And, more importantly, should I be placing bets on who's going to win? - which you apparently can do with British bookies.) Anyway, we shall find out soon - in the meantime, I highly recommend Toibin's book.