We report back on various reading projects; marvel at Isaac Babel's Red Calvary stories; Rob is disappointed with Agustin Fernandez Mallo; and Roman remembers his first brush with Stendhal. We also wonder what political role, if any, the literary artist can play in 2020, as (some) western democracies lean rightward. Additionally, we muse on the absolute freedom of the artist in a world of fears, constraints and ideology.Music attribution: “Sunday Smooth" by Scott Buckley, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License - www.scottbuckley.com.au.