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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 1746 Views
Things you liked Rebekah - 15/07/2010 08:37:57 AM 1140 Views
I can barely comment at this point nossy - 15/07/2010 03:19:45 PM 1176 Views
You don't have to post only under those headings. Rebekah - 15/07/2010 04:39:36 PM 1192 Views
You contrarian you. Jacob - 16/07/2010 08:44:25 PM 1188 Views
The odd duality of humor and seriousness Jason S - 17/07/2010 05:29:28 AM 1406 Views
Yeah. Rebekah - 18/07/2010 08:46:33 PM 1099 Views
Re: The odd duality of humor and seriousness aragornital - 21/07/2010 12:16:51 PM 1353 Views
The Passion interludes and Margarita's witchification and night flight. Tim - 23/07/2010 11:19:59 PM 1349 Views
Things you didn't like Rebekah - 15/07/2010 08:38:20 AM 1060 Views
I'm not sure if it's the translation, Rebekah - 21/07/2010 07:17:41 PM 1101 Views
Ivan Bezdomny is Demyan Bedny Tom - 22/07/2010 03:03:02 AM 1202 Views
There wasn't much character-building, was there? Tim - 23/07/2010 11:26:44 PM 1254 Views
Too much crazy. nossy - 28/07/2010 02:59:46 AM 1212 Views
Things that didn't make sense to you Rebekah - 15/07/2010 08:38:54 AM 1108 Views
Hm. Rebekah - 21/07/2010 07:19:12 PM 1271 Views
The murder of Judas. Tim - 23/07/2010 11:13:58 PM 1081 Views
Does it make more sense if Aphranius is seen as... Vodalus - 26/07/2010 12:39:46 AM 1033 Views
Ah. Tim - 26/07/2010 08:54:30 AM 1122 Views
Interesting, I never gave that option a thought. Michael - 29/07/2010 02:54:17 PM 1243 Views
Yeah. I couldn't think of one that he would fit. Rebekah - 29/07/2010 10:35:35 PM 1123 Views
See, that seemed obvious to me. nossy - 28/07/2010 02:55:02 AM 1157 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 621 Views
Mm, not just that. nossy - 28/07/2010 02:45:58 PM 1171 Views
That's how I read it, also. Michael - 29/07/2010 09:53:17 AM 1192 Views
The walls have ears. Nobody would know that better than Aphranius and Pilate. Tashmere - 31/07/2010 07:32:09 PM 1183 Views
Wait, isn't that what happened? Tim - 31/07/2010 07:39:32 PM 1285 Views
You are right. He didn't wield the metal weapon. Tashmere - 31/07/2010 10:19:57 PM 1226 Views
Also, who was Koroviev supposed to be? Tim - 23/07/2010 11:44:28 PM 1079 Views
Re: Also, who was Koroviev supposed to be? Vodalus - 26/07/2010 12:40:32 AM 1199 Views
may be... aragornital - 26/07/2010 03:50:48 PM 1068 Views
Ooh, I hadn't thought of that. Not a bad idea. *NM* Tim - 26/07/2010 04:11:43 PM 591 Views
Ivanovich's dream. Michael - 29/07/2010 02:43:43 PM 1226 Views
Characters (ordinary) Rebekah - 15/07/2010 08:39:53 AM 1110 Views
Are Russian characters always over the top? Rebekah - 15/07/2010 05:25:43 PM 992 Views
I had a hard time remembering who was who. Tim - 23/07/2010 10:18:44 PM 1290 Views
War and Peace was easier than this. Tashmere - 31/07/2010 07:38:51 PM 1177 Views
Characters (supernatural) Rebekah - 15/07/2010 08:40:36 AM 1066 Views
The story of the Passion is strikingly intense. Ghavrel - 20/07/2010 07:27:26 AM 1191 Views
It is. They are my favourite bits. Rebekah - 21/07/2010 07:11:33 PM 1080 Views
I agree – those were my favourite bits to read. Tim - 23/07/2010 10:15:55 PM 1126 Views
Behemoth was hilarious. I love the idea of him being a large mischievous cat. Tim - 23/07/2010 11:22:01 PM 971 Views
He is MY cat. nossy - 28/07/2010 03:03:26 AM 1118 Views
I'm reserving a spot for my comments but not posting them just yet. Tom - 15/07/2010 03:46:34 PM 1139 Views
(I just actually posted below) *NM* Tom - 20/07/2010 05:22:00 PM 569 Views
Was wondering about that. *NM* Jacob - 20/07/2010 05:22:27 PM 577 Views
I had a very interesting conversation about the novel yesterday. Jacob - 16/07/2010 02:44:53 PM 1227 Views
That's neat. Rebekah - 18/07/2010 08:48:53 PM 1128 Views
Re: I had a very interesting conversation about the novel yesterday. aragornital - 21/07/2010 12:22:28 PM 1098 Views
I suspect I'm missing a hell of a lot. Tim - 23/07/2010 10:45:35 PM 1299 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 1210 Views
I was slightly disappointed on my second read. Rebekah - 18/07/2010 08:48:02 PM 1224 Views
Re: I was slightly disappointed on my second read. aragornital - 21/07/2010 12:31:50 PM 1195 Views
I see that title and I think of taking up smoking... Larry - 18/07/2010 09:43:38 PM 1010 Views
My thoughts Tom - 20/07/2010 04:50:06 AM 1325 Views
Does this story translate well? Jacob - 20/07/2010 06:27:50 PM 1117 Views
I honestly have no clue. Tom - 20/07/2010 07:31:03 PM 1228 Views
That is what I thought you'd say. Jacob - 21/07/2010 02:04:26 PM 1088 Views
About evil in this book. Rebekah - 21/07/2010 07:14:59 PM 1014 Views
There is a Russian author who believes Margarita was Gorky's girlfriend. Tom - 22/07/2010 03:15:13 AM 1204 Views
More about evil in this book. Vodalus - 23/07/2010 02:01:40 AM 1135 Views
Aha. There's the question I was going to ask: Rebekah - 31/07/2010 10:32:17 PM 1007 Views
To the devil with this. I don't care if I am showing my ignorance. Tashmere - 31/07/2010 10:52:54 PM 1368 Views
Any time you have a dual story, the invitation to draw parallels exists. Tom - 10/08/2010 05:56:23 PM 1122 Views
For all the expressed interest, this book club discussion is languishing. *NM* Tom - 21/07/2010 02:07:23 AM 552 Views
I am trying to catch up. I've had NO time to read lately. nossy - 21/07/2010 02:58:23 AM 1192 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 1053 Views
I've nearly finished. Should be done tomorrow morning. *NM* Tim - 21/07/2010 11:22:05 PM 545 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 565 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 538 Views
Names. Rebekah - 21/07/2010 07:16:23 PM 1134 Views
They're not common. Tom - 22/07/2010 03:08:55 AM 1150 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 1102 Views
Why do you think Bulgakov chose to wait so long before introducing us to Margarita? Tim - 24/07/2010 12:05:59 AM 1010 Views
I have finally started it. Tashmere - 25/07/2010 04:30:57 AM 1163 Views
Have any of you heard of The Whisperers: Private Life in Stalin's Russia? Tash - 25/07/2010 09:01:30 PM 1183 Views
Unfortunately do to my eye surgery I could not participate. everynametaken - 28/07/2010 12:36:28 AM 1172 Views
I "read" it in audiobook form, in the car and on the move. Michael - 29/07/2010 02:55:50 PM 1175 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 963 Views
Indeed, it may have. Michael - 30/07/2010 09:06:27 AM 1670 Views
I've finished. nossy - 28/07/2010 02:39:57 AM 1167 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 983 Views
Civil Rights? You do realize that Russia never imported slaves, right? Tom - 28/07/2010 01:52:12 PM 1248 Views
I thought that was so. nossy - 28/07/2010 02:53:21 PM 1231 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 1144 Views
Hm Rebekah - 31/07/2010 10:53:46 PM 1181 Views
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