Sarah Jessica Parker is known for her love of books. Now, she is taking her role as a judge for the 2025 Booker Prize very seriously. The actress revealed she reads up to two books a day to prepare for the prestigious literary award. This has sparked a big debate online about whether it is possible.
Parker shared her reading routine at the PEN America Literary Gala. She said judging the Booker Prize means reading a huge number of books in a short time. The Booker Prize is one of the most important awards for fiction written in English. Judges must read around 170 books in seven months to pick the winner.
“It’s intense to be reading that number of books. The volume is kind of hard to convey, what it’s like to have as many books we are given the opportunity to read in a month. It’s quite something.”
Parker explained she has more time to read now because she is not filming. She reads from morning to night whenever she gets a chance. Her busy schedule last year with acting projects made it hard to focus on books. This year, she is fully committed to her judging role.
Many people on social media questioned how she can read so much. Some think she must be listening to audiobooks or choosing very short books. Others joked about their own slow reading habits.
“They must be audiobooks or really short books cause how do you even have that much time.”
“Me when I lie.”
“I could read this fast, but I wouldn’t remember anything afterwards though, would have plots mixed up.”
However, many fans defended Parker. They pointed out she has been a big reader all her life. She also runs her own book imprint called SJP Lit, where she publishes new authors. Some said if anyone can read two books a day, it’s her.
“Why are people saying she is lying? She’s a famously voracious reader and if you can afford to do nothing else, you can read up to two books a day depending on their length.”
“It’s very possible. I’m a librarian and we have to do this on a fairly regular basis. We also have to take notes on content, audience, themes, etc.”
Parker’s journey to becoming a Booker Prize judge started years ago. In 2022, she saw a video about the challenge of reading 170 books as a judge. She commented, “Oh let me try!!!!” Now, she is living that dream.
The actress has always loved books. She grew up in a house full of them and was a regular at the library. Her mother made sure she always had a book, even as a toddler. Parker has passed this love of reading to her own children.
“We always had a ton of books around the house and we were regular visitors to the library. We were not allowed to leave the house without a book in our hands, even when we were toddlers and couldn’t read.”
Parker is not just an actress. She is also a producer, publisher, and businesswoman. She has won Golden Globe and Emmy awards for her acting. Her production company, Pretty Matches Productions, makes TV shows and films.
In 2023, she launched SJP Lit, her own book imprint. It focuses on stories from diverse and underrepresented voices. Before that, she worked with another publisher to release bestselling books. She has been a strong supporter of libraries and reading programs.
The 2025 Booker Prize judges include famous writers and critics. Roddy Doyle, who won the prize in 1993, is leading the panel. Parker is the only actor in the group. The winner will be announced in November 2025.
Reading so many books in a short time is not easy. Some say it is hard to fully enjoy or remember each book at that speed. But for Parker, it is part of the job. She is determined to give every book a fair chance.
The debate about her reading habits shows how much people care about books. Some admire her dedication, while others doubt it is possible. Either way, Parker is proving that she takes her role as a judge seriously.
Credits: Sources include BuzzFeed, and the Booker Prize official website.
