Sarah Jessica Parker has recently set the literary world abuzz with a jaw-dropping claim: she reads two books a day.
Image: Sarah Jessica Parker Instagram
Sarah Jessica Parker, renowned for her iconic role as Carrie Bradshaw in “Sex and the City”, has recently set the literary world abuzz with a jaw-dropping claim: she reads two books a day.
Her comments, made during the PEN America Literary Gala and reported by Page Six, have prompted both admiration and disbelief from fans and critics alike.
When asked how many books she reads in a week or a month, Parker responded with an unexpected revelation.
“Well, now, I’m judging the Booker, so I’m reading two books a day sometimes,” she stated, a comment that has since taken social media by storm.
This impressive reading schedule comes in light of her recent announcement - she will serve as a judge for the prestigious 2025 Booker Prize, a role that undoubtedly involves an extensive reading list.
Parker's impressive credentials include launching her literary imprint, SJP Lit, in 2023. As a member of the Booker Prize jury, alongside respected authors like Ayòbámi Adébáyò, Kiley Reid, and Chris Power, she brings a wealth of experience to the table.
Led by acclaimed Irish novelist Roddy Doyle, the jury's task is to identify the best sustained work of fiction written in English - a responsibility that demands a considerable commitment to reading.
“It’s intense to be reading that number of books,”
Parker admitted, “The volume is kind of hard to convey, what it’s like to have as many books as we are given the opportunity to read in a month … it’s quite something.”
Yet, her claim has been met with scepticism from many on social media.
Some users have questioned the possibility of fully absorbing such a quantity of literature in a mere day. “Not physically or mathematically possible, but sure,” quipped one critic on X.
Some suggested that Parker’s reading habits might only be feasible if she were listening to audiobooks or consuming particularly short novels.
One user jested, “Me when I lie,” while another cleverly noted that it would be impossible to retain all that information, humourously commenting on the likelihood of mixing up plots.
However, not all responses were dismissive. Some avid readers and professionals in the literary field offered their support for Parker’s claim.
One librarian noted, “It’s very possible. I’m a librarian, and we have to do this on a fairly regular basis.”
Another reader echoed this sentiment, sharing their own experiences of reading 2 to 3 books a week and participating in long readathons.
Faced with the swirling scepticism, Parker shared her approach to fitting reading into her daily life. “You just do,” she explained.
“I didn’t do it last year because I knew I was shooting and doing a play and doing the series, so this year I knew that I had a different kind of time available to me, so I just read morning to night. Any opportunity that exists, I’m reading.”