Talking with friends about their new year’s resolutions, it is striking that many have ambitions to join, or be part of, a book club. And why not? Books are one of life’s great pleasures, and sharing them only adds to the enjoyment.

But like many other resolutions, creating and staying in a book club can be harder than it looks.

Creating a book club seems deceptively simple. But in reality it is a complex exercise in institutional design. What books should it focus on? How small or large should it be? And who should be able to join?

Resolving these questions often destroys the book club, before it gets going.

How, then, does one answer them – and avoid consigning our resolutions to the the list of unrealised aspirations for 2019.