My Life in Books: Kiley Reid

What are you reading right now? 

I’m currently re-reading the Booker shortlist. This experience has highlighted how much there is to discover on a second read of a book. I’m also always reading children’s books with my daughter. She loves Richard Scarry books, especially A Day At The Airport, and we read Charlotte’s Web before bed. 

What book from childhood will always stay with you? 

There was a book that my fifth-grade class read called The Clearing. It terrified us; a young boy is killed in a really brutal way. I remember shortly after reading it, there was a sleepover for the girls in our class. We began discussing the book, and the mood in the room shifted dramatically. It was all at once cosy and dark and haunting. The funny thing is that I have no idea who wrote it! There are quite a few books called The Clearing, and I can’t seem to find which one it is. And then there’s the question of why on earth we were reading it! I’m grateful all the same.

Which books made you want to write? 

There’s a chapbook called Nevers  by Megan Martin that inspired me to write. It was one of those books that made me think, “I didn’t know we were allowed to do this.” To just drop your reader into the very best parts. 

When and where do you read? 

All the time and everywhere. On the train, in a café, at my table, in my bed.

Where do you buy books?

Lately, about a third of my books are on Audible, and the rest are in print. I’m very fortunate to receive proofs of new books often, so they often come from publishing companies. The rest come from just about anywhere: the library, online thrift shops and fancy bookshops when I’m travelling.

Do you belong to a book club?

Technically, I do! Being a part of the Booker Prize judging panel is my first dip into belonging to a book club and I’m enjoying it very much. We’ve also discussed continuing our reading beyond the Booker Prize responsibilities. We’ve done so much reading of contemporary novels that we’re all very excited to go back into the past. 

How do you choose what to read?

This year, the books chose me. We were given around 8 batches of books, totalling 153, which meant that we had to read approximately one book every day. Typically, I’m a much slower reader, and I complete around three books a month. Those are books I’ve been wanting to read, or books published by friends that I want to support, or they are books that share subjects with things I’m interested in. I like to have one fiction and one non-fiction book going simultaneously.

Do you have a favourite author?

It changes nearly every day. It’s often James Baldwin. Some days it’s Cormac McCarthy. Other days it’s Sayaka Murata.

What's been your favourite read of 2025 so far?

Unfortunately, I can’t say! My favourite reads have definitely been from our Booker Prize long and shortlists. They are all wonderful, and they do not waste any time. They are all filled with so much craft and heart, and I encourage everyone to make their way through the piles.

Favourite biography?

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings  by Maya Angelou. I think of several moments in her childhood often now as I raise my daughter. 

Favourite non-fiction book? 

Knocking The Hustle: Against The Neoliberal Turn In Black Politics  by Lester Spence. It's an incredible book that dissects and critiques hustle culture for African American communities. It was a big source of inspiration for the main character in my second novel, and I'm thrilled to say that the author's mother came to one of my events and she was just lovely.

Do you read poetry? 

Not very often. I liked Paul Celan in college. I’ll read anything that Lucy Biederman writes. Izzy Casey, too.

What book would you give as a gift? 

Ninety-Nine Stories Of God by Joy Williams. It’s a perfect book to keep on your bedside table.

What was the last book that made you cry? 

I don't know if there is a book that's made me cry. I'm hard as stone! But there's still time.

Any recommendations for laugh-out-loud books?

I found Either/Or by Elif Batuman very funny, and I loved the main character’s musings on music. Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple is funny too. So is Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata. And this might sound odd, but I read David Copperfield when I was experiencing pregnancy insomnia, and I do remember laughing. That may have had more to do with my mental state at the time, but I do recall a few very funny moments.

What’s your favourite film or TV adaptation of a book?

I think 10 Things I Hate About You is a very fun take on The Taming Of The Shrew. I remember seeing it on my thirteenth birthday, and it was a perfect way to turn 13.

Are there any books that have helped you through difficult times?

I wouldn’t say difficult times as much as moments where I’d hit a writing block. Reading non-fiction has proven really beneficial to my fiction. It helps me highlight the intricacies and truths of nuanced experiences. For my last novel, Come And Get It, I found a lot of inspiration from a book called Monoculture: How One Story is Changing Everything by FS Michaels. This became the blueprint to a character named Kennedy who was definitely a favourite of my readers.

Who is your favourite literary character?

Hella from Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin. Hella is a character that we hear about for most of the book, and then we meet her towards the end. She does not disappoint.

What one book should everybody read in their lifetime?

Black Liberation and Socialism by Ahmed Shawki. It's an incredibly sharp blueprint and analysis of the way racism was once engineered and how it operates today.

Do you have a favourite book of all time?

I don’t. I think books meet you where you are in your life at the moment. What serves you best in one season may not be what you connect with in another.

And what are you working on at the moment?

I’m currently working on my third novel. I’ve recently relocated to the Netherlands, so I’m also working on getting settled here with my family.

Follow @KILEYREID on Instagram. For more on the Booker Prize, visit THEBOOKERPRIZE.COM