The annual Booker Prize ceremony at London's Old Billingsgate on 10 November 2025 witnessed an unusual spectacle: literary figures crowding around actress Sarah Jessica Parker for photographs. The Sex and the City star had served as a judge for the prestigious literary award, reading an impressive 153 books throughout the selection process.
The Celebrity Book Club Phenomenon
Parker's involvement represents the latest development in the growing trend of celebrity book clubs. From Reese Witherspoon's decade-old club to newer ventures by Dua Lipa, Mindy Kaling, and Emma Watson, famous faces are increasingly positioning themselves as literary tastemakers. The rationale appears straightforward: using celebrity influence to combat shrinking attention spans and promote reading in an increasingly digital world.
Yet this well-intentioned mission often produces curiously stylised results. Promotional images frequently feature celebrities like Natalie Portman peering over Virginia Woolf's The Waves or Emma Roberts napping with a Joan Didion anthology. The underlying message, as model Kaia Gerber explicitly stated through her social media, is that "reading is sexy" - a concept many promotional photographs take quite literally.
Style Versus Substance
The aesthetic surrounding celebrity book culture often prioritises appearance over intellectual engagement. Reese Witherspoon, described as a grandee of the genre, frequently appears in floral onesies, reclining with a book while projecting an image that combines cuteness with literary credibility. The books selected often follow predictable patterns, with Witherspoon favouring novels about unconventional characters ultimately embracing conventional resolutions.
There are exceptions to this pattern. Dua Lipa's book club has gained recognition for its ambitious selections, featuring works by authors including Ocean Vuong, Patrick Radden Keefe, and Helen Garner. Even Parker herself had previously showcased Garner's work, with her character Carrie Bradshaw carrying copies of Monkey Grip and This House of Grief in Sex and the City.
The Booker Prize Controversy
Parker's role as a Booker judge generated significant discussion within literary circles. The New York Times documented her judging process, which included reading on the New York subway while accompanied by a film crew. According to reports, Parker actively participated in discussions with judging panel chair Roddy Doyle, offering her perspectives while acknowledging she might be "spot-on wrong."
The Irish novelist apparently agreed with the Emmy winner's assessments, though this dynamic raises questions about whether literary judgment should be influenced by celebrity status. The spectacle of traditionally independent literary figures becoming suddenly cooperative when encountering famous actors has become a recognisable pattern in publishing circles.
While celebrity involvement undoubtedly brings attention to literature and reading, the underlying assumption that young people will only engage with books if presented as "sexy" or associated with glamorous figures remains problematic. The condescending implication that non-readers require bikini-clad models holding books to consider reading suggests a fundamental misunderstanding of what makes literature compelling.
As one columnist noted, we can appreciate celebrity efforts to promote reading while simultaneously finding the execution faintly ludicrous - examples of confident opinions entirely untainted by expertise.
