Mary Beard's Grueling Booker Prize Reading Marathon

Classicist Mary Beard has described her experience chairing the Booker Prize judges as an intense, six-month odyssey, involving the rigorous reading of 163 works of fiction. She noted that writing a book was easier than the demanding judging process. The five-judge panel worked under a shroud of secrecy, reading approximately one book per day or more, with strict schedules.

Judges sometimes had to find unconventional times and places to read, with some sequestering themselves to catch up or squeezing in reading while on tour. The process involved creating a longlist, then a shortlist, culminating in three-hour closed-door meetings where disagreements were resolved using methods like the 'traffic light' system. Ultimately, the judges focused on identifying 'distinctly human' books, deliberately seeking out narratives that celebrated flaws and uniqueness, a conscious choice amid concerns about artificial intelligence.