How to Start a Successful Book Club

Book clubs rarely fail because of the books. They fail because of scheduling, over-ambition and an unclear sense of what the group is for.

Six to ten members is the sweet spot: enough for disagreement, small enough that everyone speaks. Fix the date before you fix the book — the same evening each month is easier to protect than a date chosen by consensus every time.

Choose books by rotation rather than vote. Each member picks in turn, which spreads risk, guarantees variety, and removes the awkwardness of arguing someone else's choice down.

Length matters more than literary merit in the first year. Aim for under 350 pages until the habit is established, and keep a short list of discussion questions ready so the conversation has somewhere to go after the opening ten minutes.