Biography of Princess Margaret wins Edinburgh University literary prize

A biography of the Queen's sister and a series of experimental short stories have won ''the UK's longest-running literary awards''.

The prizes are awarded annually by the University of Edinburgh and are judged by scholars and students.

Craig Brown won the £10,000 James Tait Black Prize for biography with Ma'am Darling: 99 Glimpses Of Princess Margaret, described as a ''witty and unconventional picture of royal life in the mid 20th century'' - combining interviews, parodies and essays.

Mr Brown, a satirist and journalist, has written several books of fiction and non-fiction.

The £10,000 fiction prize went to Eley Williams for Attrib. And Other Stories, a series of experimental short stories centred upon the challenges people face in communicating thoughts and feelings.

The book experiments with language and uses puns, forgotten words and hidden meanings.

Eley Williams teaches creative writing and children's literature at Royal Holloway, University of London, where she was recently awarded her doctorate.

Biography judge Dr Jonathan Wild, of the University of Edinburgh, said: ''Craig Brown's astonishing blend of materials work together to create a biography that is both profound and wildly entertaining.''

The winners were announced by broadcaster Sally Magnusson at the Edinburgh International Book Festival on Saturday.

Commenting on the fiction prize Dr Alex Lawrie, of the University of Edinburgh, said: ''This is a remarkable set of short stories: experimental in the best way possible, articulating moments of intense intimacy with stunning freshness and clarity.''

The James Tait Black Awards were founded in 1919 by Janet Coats, the widow of publisher James Tait Black, to commemorate her husband's love of good books.

Organisers said they are the UK's longest-running literary awards.

Past winners include Angela Carter, Graham Greene, DH Lawrence, Muriel Spark, Lytton Strachey, EM Forster and Martin Amis.

This year's fiction shortlist features in a free online course to help book lovers get the best out of their reading.

How to Read a Novel was launched in 2017 by The University of Edinburgh and the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

So far, more than 27,000 people have signed up for the four week course via the FutureLearn website.

Participants can sign-up for the free online course at: https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/how-to-read-a-novel/