The shortlists for the Costa Books Awards 2011 have been announced. Uniquely, the prize recognises five categories - first novel, novel, poetry, biography and children's book - and an overall winner is chosen from each, to be announced on 4 January 2012. Among the contenders this year is Julian Barnes for The Sense of an Ending, which the WCRG discussed in November, and Claire Tomalin for her new biography of Charles Dickens. What would be your choice?
