The Master and Margarita [B0919]

2000 PB in nice clean condition. A masterful translation of one of the great novels of the 20th century. Nothing in the whole of literature compares with The Master and Margarita. Full of pungency and wit, this luminous work is Bulgakov's crowning achievement, skillfully blending magical and realistic elements, grotesque situations and major ethical concerns. Written during the darkest period of Stalin's repressive reign and a devastating satire of Soviet life, it combines two distinct yet interwoven parts, one set in contemporary Moscow, the other in ancient Jerusalem, each brimming with incident and with historical, imaginary, frightful, and wonderful characters. Although completed in 1940, The Master and Margarita was not published until 1966 when the first section appeared in the monthly magazine Moskva. Russians everywhere responded enthusiastically to the novel's artistic and spiritual freedom and it was an immediate and enduring success. This new translation has been made from the complete and unabridged Russian text.

From recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "OMG an instant favorite. Probably of all time. Amazingly written allegorical piece. I can't do this book justice in a few lines. But def recommend - especially for anyone interested in Stalin's Russia."; "Reading this novel felt like stepping into a surreal tapestry where satire, theology, romance, and politics collide with dazzling unpredictability. Beneath its fantastical surface talking cats, disappearing bureaucrats, and the Devil strolling through Moscow, I could sense a sharp, often courageous critique of the era's governing absurdities."; "I went into The Master and Margarita with tempered expectations - and came out utterly spellbound. Bulgakov's novel is one of the most inspiring works I've ever read: absurd and hilarious, yes, but also heartbreakingly sincere, philosophical, and brimming with humanity."; "Loved it!! Such an interesting, fast-paced story and well-rounded, actually likeable characters."