Sarah Jessica Parker reveals how many books she reads a day as Booker Prize judge

Sarah Jessica Parker, the evergreen and well-known actress from Sex and the City, has taken on a new role as one of the judges for the 2025 Booker Prize, a famous award given to the best novel written in English. To prepare for this, Parker reads up to two books every day. At 60 years old, Parker says reading so many books is intense but rewarding.

“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.”

She spends six to ten hours each day reading. With her schedule more open this year, she has the time to focus on this task. She feels honored to be part of the five-member judging panel, which includes authors, critics, and other public figures.

Sarah Jessica Parker's Lifelong Love for Books

Sarah Jessica Parker's passion for reading started in childhood. Her mother always encouraged her to read, and their home was filled with books. They visited the library often, and Parker was taught to always have a book with her. She has passed this love of reading to her three children. Parker believes that books are great friends and help people understand different lives.

“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.”

She also said,

“She read to us constantly, so I did the same for my children, and they came to the same conclusion, which is (that) books are the greatest possible friends you could have.”

In 2023, Parker launched her own book imprint, SJP Lit, in partnership with publisher Zando. This imprint focuses on publishing stories from underrepresented voices. Some of the books published include They Dream in Gold by Mai Sennaar and Women and Children First by Alina Grabowski.

Sarah Jessica Parker is Preparing for the Booker Prize

As a judge, Sarah Jessica Parker will read over 150 books to help choose the winner of the Booker Prize. She says the volume of reading is intense, but she is committed to the task. Parker plans to read every chance she gets, dedicating up to ten hours a day to reading. The Booker Prize team will select a longlist of books in the summer, which will then be narrowed down to a shortlist. The winner will be announced on November 10, 2025. Until then, Sarah Jessica Parker and the other judges will continue their reading journey.

Sarah Jessica Parker feels excited and a bit nervous about her role. She plans to listen and learn from her fellow judges, who are experienced in the literary world. Parker wants to be thoughtful and fair in evaluating each book. She said,

"Reading fiction is the gateway to other cultures, traditions, smells, sounds, personal triumphs and disappointments. It is the transport to empathy, compassion and greater understanding of lives wonderfully different from my own."

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