Irish writer John Banville caused an uproar when he won the Booker Prize. “In a low, steady voice of thanks, he said: ‘It is good to see a work of art being recognised!’ Many cheered, whether for the unapologetic arrogance of the remark or for the truth of it, or perhaps stirred by the whiff of drama in the room. But the sense of outrage among certain of the glitterati only ratcheted up a notch, to spew out the next day in newspaper column-centimetres of invective.”