Mikhail Bulgakov (1891-1940) was one of postrevolutionary Russia's foremost authors. In the 1920s his work was suppressed by the Stalinist authorities; only with his rehabilitation, beginning in 1962, was much of it published. His other works include Heart of a Dog, The Fatal Eggs, and The White Guard.Mirra Ginsburg (1909-2000) was born in Russia. In addition to The Master and Margarita, she translated other works by Bulgakov, as well as works by Zamyatin, Dostoyevsky, Babel, Zoshchenko, Platonov, and others. She edited many books, including The Fatal Eggs and Other Soviet Satire, and wrote more than twenty books for children.
Bulgakov's satire of the greed and corruption of Soviet authorities illustrates the redemptive nature of art and faith, and Julian Rhind-Tutt's superb interpretation does the classic full justice. With a dramatic flair and a deep, multilayered voice, he pulls off a host of fantastical characters including Professor Woland (Satan) and several of his associates, Pontius Pilate and Jesus Christ, witches and madmen and a variety of early 20th-century Moscow literary and theater types. Two minor caveats: a few characterizations are too nasal, and his cockney accents for low-class Russian characters are a bit disconcerting. (June) Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.
This annotated version of Bulgakov's 1966 novel in which the devil pays a visit to Moscow is translated from the most accurate Russian sources. This edition also contains notes on the text.
"A wild surrealistic romp. . . . Brilliantly flamboyant and
outrageous." --Joyce Carol Oates, The Detroit News
"This dark, absurd, and subversive treasure lay hidden for many years, even after Bulgakov's death, such was the fear of reprisal for such a pointed, authentic stab at life under the tyrannical malevolence of Uncle Joe and the withering Soviet climate of the time." --Johnny Depp, "My Essentials" in Entertainment Weekly's "Best of the Decade" issue (December 11, 2009) "Fine, funny, imaginative . . . . The Master and Margarita stands squarely in the great Gogolesque tradition of satiric narrative." --Saul Maloff, Newsweek "The book is by turns hilarious, mysterious, contemplative and poignant. . . . A great work." --Chicago Tribune "Magnificent . . . a gloriously ironic gothic masterpiece . . . had me rapt with bliss." --Patrick McGrath, Guardian (UK) "Funny, devilish, brilliant satire . . . It's literature of the highest order and . . . it will deliver a full measure of enjoyment and enlightenment." --Publishers Weekly "A rich, funny, moving and bitter novel . . . . Vast and boisterous entertainment." --The New York Times "A classic of twentieth-century fiction." --The New York Times Book Review
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