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The Joint Book Club: Mikhail Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita Rebekah Send a noteboard - 15/07/2010 08:36:47 AM
Welcome to the book club discussion of The Master and Margarita, which we're doing as a joint venture between the Russian book club and the main book club.

Posted below are some starter thoughts for you. Answer as much or as little as you want, and please do add anything of your own.


Here's a little bit about the book from Wikipedia. Full article is linked below (I thought it was a good starting point.)


The Master and Margarita is a novel by Mikhail Bulgakov, woven around the premise of a visit by the Devil to the fervently atheistic Soviet Union. Many critics consider the book to be one of the greatest novels of the 20th century, as well as one of the foremost Soviet satires, directed against a suffocatingly bureaucratic social order.
*MySmiley*

Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. - Groucho Marx
A little summary, a little analysis, a little history
This message last edited by Rebekah on 29/07/2010 at 10:34:35 PM
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The Joint Book Club: Mikhail Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita Rebekah - 15/07/2010 08:36:47 AM 1868 Views
Things you liked Rebekah - 15/07/2010 08:37:57 AM 1260 Views
I can barely comment at this point nossy - 15/07/2010 03:19:45 PM 1273 Views
You don't have to post only under those headings. Rebekah - 15/07/2010 04:39:36 PM 1291 Views
You contrarian you. Jacob - 16/07/2010 08:44:25 PM 1305 Views
The odd duality of humor and seriousness Jason S - 17/07/2010 05:29:28 AM 1530 Views
Yeah. Rebekah - 18/07/2010 08:46:33 PM 1223 Views
Re: The odd duality of humor and seriousness aragornital - 21/07/2010 12:16:51 PM 1456 Views
The Passion interludes and Margarita's witchification and night flight. Tim - 23/07/2010 11:19:59 PM 1462 Views
Things you didn't like Rebekah - 15/07/2010 08:38:20 AM 1155 Views
I'm not sure if it's the translation, Rebekah - 21/07/2010 07:17:41 PM 1195 Views
Ivan Bezdomny is Demyan Bedny Tom - 22/07/2010 03:03:02 AM 1354 Views
There wasn't much character-building, was there? Tim - 23/07/2010 11:26:44 PM 1373 Views
Too much crazy. nossy - 28/07/2010 02:59:46 AM 1318 Views
Things that didn't make sense to you Rebekah - 15/07/2010 08:38:54 AM 1217 Views
Hm. Rebekah - 21/07/2010 07:19:12 PM 1372 Views
The murder of Judas. Tim - 23/07/2010 11:13:58 PM 1365 Views
Does it make more sense if Aphranius is seen as... Vodalus - 26/07/2010 12:39:46 AM 1133 Views
Ah. Tim - 26/07/2010 08:54:30 AM 1255 Views
Interesting, I never gave that option a thought. Michael - 29/07/2010 02:54:17 PM 1346 Views
Yeah. I couldn't think of one that he would fit. Rebekah - 29/07/2010 10:35:35 PM 1223 Views
See, that seemed obvious to me. nossy - 28/07/2010 02:55:02 AM 1266 Views
Oh, so that was them making up a story to tell anyone else if needed? *NM* Tim - 28/07/2010 08:29:10 AM 674 Views
Mm, not just that. nossy - 28/07/2010 02:45:58 PM 1269 Views
That's how I read it, also. Michael - 29/07/2010 09:53:17 AM 1292 Views
The walls have ears. Nobody would know that better than Aphranius and Pilate. Tashmere - 31/07/2010 07:32:09 PM 1318 Views
Wait, isn't that what happened? Tim - 31/07/2010 07:39:32 PM 1386 Views
You are right. He didn't wield the metal weapon. Tashmere - 31/07/2010 10:19:57 PM 1340 Views
Also, who was Koroviev supposed to be? Tim - 23/07/2010 11:44:28 PM 1186 Views
Re: Also, who was Koroviev supposed to be? Vodalus - 26/07/2010 12:40:32 AM 1312 Views
may be... aragornital - 26/07/2010 03:50:48 PM 1176 Views
Ooh, I hadn't thought of that. Not a bad idea. *NM* Tim - 26/07/2010 04:11:43 PM 651 Views
Ivanovich's dream. Michael - 29/07/2010 02:43:43 PM 1330 Views
Characters (ordinary) Rebekah - 15/07/2010 08:39:53 AM 1210 Views
Are Russian characters always over the top? Rebekah - 15/07/2010 05:25:43 PM 1102 Views
I had a hard time remembering who was who. Tim - 23/07/2010 10:18:44 PM 1397 Views
War and Peace was easier than this. Tashmere - 31/07/2010 07:38:51 PM 1285 Views
Characters (supernatural) Rebekah - 15/07/2010 08:40:36 AM 1156 Views
The story of the Passion is strikingly intense. Ghavrel - 20/07/2010 07:27:26 AM 1309 Views
It is. They are my favourite bits. Rebekah - 21/07/2010 07:11:33 PM 1168 Views
I agree – those were my favourite bits to read. Tim - 23/07/2010 10:15:55 PM 1272 Views
Behemoth was hilarious. I love the idea of him being a large mischievous cat. Tim - 23/07/2010 11:22:01 PM 1078 Views
He is MY cat. nossy - 28/07/2010 03:03:26 AM 1229 Views
I'm reserving a spot for my comments but not posting them just yet. Tom - 15/07/2010 03:46:34 PM 1243 Views
(I just actually posted below) *NM* Tom - 20/07/2010 05:22:00 PM 623 Views
Was wondering about that. *NM* Jacob - 20/07/2010 05:22:27 PM 633 Views
I had a very interesting conversation about the novel yesterday. Jacob - 16/07/2010 02:44:53 PM 1356 Views
That's neat. Rebekah - 18/07/2010 08:48:53 PM 1226 Views
Re: I had a very interesting conversation about the novel yesterday. aragornital - 21/07/2010 12:22:28 PM 1226 Views
I suspect I'm missing a hell of a lot. Tim - 23/07/2010 10:45:35 PM 1422 Views
I haven't collected my thoughts on the experience of reading the novel yet, but I wanted to share... Jacob - 16/07/2010 02:50:03 PM 1315 Views
I was slightly disappointed on my second read. Rebekah - 18/07/2010 08:48:02 PM 1332 Views
Re: I was slightly disappointed on my second read. aragornital - 21/07/2010 12:31:50 PM 1308 Views
I see that title and I think of taking up smoking... Larry - 18/07/2010 09:43:38 PM 1101 Views
My thoughts Tom - 20/07/2010 04:50:06 AM 1464 Views
Does this story translate well? Jacob - 20/07/2010 06:27:50 PM 1233 Views
I honestly have no clue. Tom - 20/07/2010 07:31:03 PM 1331 Views
That is what I thought you'd say. Jacob - 21/07/2010 02:04:26 PM 1205 Views
About evil in this book. Rebekah - 21/07/2010 07:14:59 PM 1123 Views
There is a Russian author who believes Margarita was Gorky's girlfriend. Tom - 22/07/2010 03:15:13 AM 1326 Views
More about evil in this book. Vodalus - 23/07/2010 02:01:40 AM 1256 Views
Aha. There's the question I was going to ask: Rebekah - 31/07/2010 10:32:17 PM 1105 Views
To the devil with this. I don't care if I am showing my ignorance. Tashmere - 31/07/2010 10:52:54 PM 1494 Views
Any time you have a dual story, the invitation to draw parallels exists. Tom - 10/08/2010 05:56:23 PM 1220 Views
For all the expressed interest, this book club discussion is languishing. *NM* Tom - 21/07/2010 02:07:23 AM 608 Views
I am trying to catch up. I've had NO time to read lately. nossy - 21/07/2010 02:58:23 AM 1297 Views
An anniversary, a birthday, and a successful job interview do tend to slow me down somewhat Larry - 21/07/2010 02:08:10 PM 1147 Views
I've nearly finished. Should be done tomorrow morning. *NM* Tim - 21/07/2010 11:22:05 PM 592 Views
Vacation and all the stuff associated with it. Will try to write something, but it might be a while. *NM* Vodalus - 23/07/2010 02:03:57 AM 616 Views
Give me a day or two to catch up on things and finish the book. *NM* Legolas - 24/07/2010 11:14:17 PM 591 Views
Names. Rebekah - 21/07/2010 07:16:23 PM 1251 Views
They're not common. Tom - 22/07/2010 03:08:55 AM 1254 Views
The Damnation of Faust has been steadily moving up on my list of books to read. So many Tashmere - 26/07/2010 05:42:41 PM 1219 Views
Why do you think Bulgakov chose to wait so long before introducing us to Margarita? Tim - 24/07/2010 12:05:59 AM 1111 Views
I have finally started it. Tashmere - 25/07/2010 04:30:57 AM 1264 Views
Have any of you heard of The Whisperers: Private Life in Stalin's Russia? Tash - 25/07/2010 09:01:30 PM 1301 Views
Unfortunately do to my eye surgery I could not participate. everynametaken - 28/07/2010 12:36:28 AM 1275 Views
I "read" it in audiobook form, in the car and on the move. Michael - 29/07/2010 02:55:50 PM 1273 Views
I wonder if having the words in front would have helped Ivanovich's dream make (more) sense. Rebekah - 29/07/2010 10:37:27 PM 1072 Views
Indeed, it may have. Michael - 30/07/2010 09:06:27 AM 1771 Views
I've finished. nossy - 28/07/2010 02:39:57 AM 1289 Views
I am about 2/3 of the way through the book and it sounds like my feelings on almost all of it are Tashmere - 28/07/2010 05:48:07 AM 1093 Views
Civil Rights? You do realize that Russia never imported slaves, right? Tom - 28/07/2010 01:52:12 PM 1353 Views
I thought that was so. nossy - 28/07/2010 02:53:21 PM 1352 Views
It felt like two different books.One part I felt like I was wading through a meaningless fluff. Tashmere - 31/07/2010 10:45:52 PM 1318 Views
Hm Rebekah - 31/07/2010 10:53:46 PM 1302 Views
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