入围2025年布克奖短名单的六本书，获奖书目将从中产生
中华时报/中华新闻网伦敦讯：2025年布克奖（Booker Prize）即将揭晓。作为号称诺贝尔文学奖试金石，全球最具影响力的文学奖之一，布克奖始终致力于表彰卓越的文学成就。
在大奖揭晓前夕，应组委会之邀，我们专访了评委凯莉·里德（Kiley Reid），深入探讨评审视角与本年度文学焦点。
凯莉·里德是一位美国女作家，其代表作-小说《Such a Fun Age》（《如此有趣的时代》）曾入围 布克奖，以敏锐的社会观察和轻快的叙事风格著称。
凯莉·里德（Kiley Reid）
赵雪湄：您认为当代文学在探索身份认同方面应承担怎样的责任？
Kiley Reid：我不倾向于将这种“责任”强加给当代文学，因为身份探索本就是一种极为个人的体验。许多我钟爱的书，并不试图描绘某个群体的身份，而是用细腻的笔触刻画出一个独特个体的生命画像。我相信，真正优秀的文学总是以真实和完整的方式对待人物。启迪并不只来自与我们相似的角色，有时，沉浸于截然不同的生命故事，反而能照见我们自身。
六位作家入围今年布克奖短名单，最终谁将是摘星手？且拭目以待
赵雪湄：作为曾入围布克奖的作家，您如何看待该奖对作家生涯的影响？
Kiley Reid：布克奖的影响力极其深远，它能让一本书抵达原本不会读到它的读者。这个奖项延展了一部小说的生命，让作品以不同语言继续被阅读，这是一种莫大的荣幸。读者信任布克奖，相信它能呈现真正有力量的作品，而这种信任，是作家最珍贵的馈赠。
赵雪湄：布克奖是否影响了您当前的写作？
Kiley Reid：真希望我现在还在写！评审期刚开始时我信心满满，但书实在太多，只能暂时放下自己的创作。不过，阅读始终会影响我的写作。有时我会想追随那些让我心动的美好瞬间，有时则想远离那些让我厌倦的主题。
赵雪湄：哪些文学元素最能打动评委？
Kiley Reid：我们最受触动的，是作者能否精准呈现人类行为的真相。当一个人物说出极其“人性化”的一句话，或某个用词让人惊叹，那都是我们迫不及待想要讨论的时刻。今年入围作品中，许多都涉及“亲子关系”——也许这并不意外，毕竟我们评委中不少人也是深爱孩子的父母。
2025年布克奖评审委员会成员
赵雪湄：您如何看待不同文化背景的文学对全球读者的影响？
Kiley Reid：不同文化的文学影响力，就像其他艺术形式一样：熟悉与陌生交织，带来全新的观察视角。这种张力在作家与读者之间形成独特的共鸣。文学让我们以最温柔、也最经济的方式走进他者的世界。
赵雪湄：在您的写作与评审旅程中，哪一刻或哪本书影响最深？
Kiley Reid：没有某一本书或某个瞬间“最重要”，而是由无数小小的震撼组成——一句让人驻足的文字，或与同僚评委共同发现新小说深意时那份温暖的共鸣。
赵雪湄：今年评审过程中，您特别关注哪些文学元素？是否有新的趋势？
Kiley Reid：我读参赛作品时，会尽量忘记自己是评委，就像偶然翻开一本书，让文字自然流淌。我常问自己：“如果不用读完，我还会继续吗？”真切的阅读愉悦永远是首位。被吸引后，我才去思考作者是如何做到的。至于趋势，每一届评委团都不尽相同，带着各自的阅历与偏好，这正造就了布克奖的独特性。阅读这些作品、与同僚分享发现本身，就是一种纯粹的快乐。
May Zhao: What responsibility and mission do you believe contemporary literature holds in exploring identity?
Kiley Reid: I’m hesitant to assign this responsibility to contemporary literature as I think exploring identity is a very personal experience. And many of the books that I adore do not attempt to explore the identity of a people, but rather paint an astonishing portrait of just one person. I do believe that all quality literature approaches each character with fullness and truth. But I don’t believe that by solely reading about characters who share a background with ourselves brings upon enlightenment. Sometimes, getting lost in a story about a completely different way of life becomes a gateway to revealing something about ourselves.
May Zhao: As a former Booker Prize nominee, how do you view the impact of the Booker Prize on an author’s career?
Kiley Reid: The impact of the Booker Prize is incredibly transformative. It has the power to place an author’s book in the hands of so many readers that would have otherwise missed out. The Booker Prize has a large global impact on the life of a novel and seeing your work live on in another language is a wonderful privilege. Readers trust this prize to deliver powerful work and that trust is a great gift to authors.
May Zhao: In your current writing, has the Booker Prize influenced your themes or approaches?
Kiley Reid: I wish there was current writing! In the beginning of the reading period I had big dreams of continuing to write my own projects, but the quantity of books was just too great and I had to put my own writing aside. But reading always influences my approaches to my own work as I’m sure it will as I pick projects back up. Sometimes I want to write towards something lovely that stayed with me, and other times it’s more of an attempt to write away from a theme I’ve tired of.
May Zhao: As a judge, what elements in contemporary literature tend to resonate most with the panel?
Kiley Reid: One of the elements that we’re all incredibly moved by is an author’s ability to portray hauntingly accurate representations of human behavior. When a character says something perfectly human or when a word choice blows us away—those are some of the moments that we can’t wait to discuss with one another. As far as specific themes—we did discover after our shortlist selection that these works all have some component of a parent/child relationship. All of the judges on the panel are parents and quite in love with our children so perhaps this shouldn’t have come as a surprise.
May Zhao: How do you perceive the impact of literature from different cultural backgrounds on a global readership?
Kiley Reid: The impact of varying cultural backgrounds through literature works much in the same way as any other art form. There are moments that are almost too familiar mixed with completely new ways of observing the human experience. These instances come together and form a pull between the artist and the observer. It’s a wonderful way to learn about other cultures and possibly the cheapest way to travel.
May Zhao: In your journey as a writer and a judge, what moment or book has had the greatest impact on you?
Kiley Reid: I’m happy to say that there hasn’t been one book or moment that has had the greatest impact, but a series of instances. From reading lines that stopped me in my tracks, or feeling that warm rush of togetherness when my fellow judges and I find massive meaning and importance in a new novel.
May Zhao: As a judge for this year’s Booker Prize, which literary elements or themes have you paid particular attention to during the evaluation process? In addition, do you think there are any new trends or changes in the judging criteria this year?
Kiley Reid: When I pick up a submission, I try to read it as if I’m not judging it. As if it happens to be on a table in a friend’s house or at a doctor’s office. I try to let it wash over me and not pay attention to things like themes or sentence structure or pacing. The question I’m asking myself is, “If I didn’t have to read this, would I keep going?” I think genuine enjoyment comes first in terms of my own evaluation of a novel. Once it pulls me in, then I can look closer at the mechanisms the author is using to make the reading experience so effective. I’m not sure if there are new trends or changes in the judging criteria this year, other than the fact that each judging panel is a very different group of people coming in with different backgrounds, preferences, and reading histories. The collective canon that is a result of our dedication to literature is unique and not only was it a joy to read these submissions, but so many other worthy novels were brought to my attention by my fellow judges.