The summer break is one of the few times of the year that we switch off our screens for long enough to lower the height of that pile of shame beside the bedside table. There is still a magic to books, which provide enough space for a nuanced view of a topic, without reducing it to mere talking points. But reading a book takes time, and Prime Ministers have even less time than others. To make best use of a rare opportunity, Grattan Institute recommends each year a summer reading list for the Prime Minister.

Summer reading shouldn’t just be about the day job: as much as any of us, a Prime Minister deserves some time out to enjoy reading something that challenges, enlivens and entertains. So we are ruthless in ensuring that nothing goes on the list unless it is a cracking good read. ‘Worthy but dull’ might be okay for cabinet papers, but it should be brutally culled from a summer reading list.