Pulitzer Prize-winning US author Cormac McCarthy has won the UK’s oldest literary award, the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for fiction, reports the BBC. THE ROAD took the fiction category for the prize continually awarded since 1919 while Byron Rogers‘ biography of Welsh poet RS Thomas won in that category. The other James Tait Black fiction nominees were Sarah Waters, Ray Robinson, James Lasdun, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Alice Munro.

Judge Professor Colin Nicholson, of the University of Edinburgh, said: “Each of the shortlisted authors is prize-worthy. “But my fellow judge Roger Savage agrees with me that for imaginative impact and page-turning readability, the two winning books are both destined to become classics in their respective genres.”

The James Tait Memorial Prize, Britain’s oldest literary prize, has announced the shortlists for its fiction and biography awards. In fiction, the competition is rather steep with Alice Munro, Cormac McCarthy, Sarah Waters, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, James Lasdun and Ray Robinson competing for the honor. The biography contenders include Carmen Callil, David Cannadine, Gillian Darley, Kate Teltscher, Byron Rogers and Maggie Fergusson.

The winners will be announced at a public awards ceremony on Saturday August 25, 2007.