June 15: The Nose and The Overcoat by Nikolai Gogol. Gogol's stories display a grotesque humour that many frequently misinterpret as a grim and dark, even sombre tone. However, by reading the two short stories we have selected, the reader will see how his satire of St. Petersburg society and its hierarchy is spot-on, and if it seems serious at times, it's because he's viciously attacking someone's values with his wit. Like the previous Pelevin selection, there's a fantastic quality to Gogol. The reading will be short, but we expect the discussion to be extended.

July 15: Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov. Bulgakov's novel has been called one of the best works of the Twentieth Century and inspired a cult following (Mick Jagger even supposedly wrote "Sympathy for the Devil" after reading it). Bulgakov, writing in the best fantastic traditions of Gogol, wrote a story about the devil coming to Moscow in the Soviet period to make mischief upon the atheists who stopped believing in him. At the same time, it's the story of the Master, a writer who chose to write a book about Pontius Pilate, then tried to burn it, and his love affair with the beautiful Margarita. The two stories weave into one cohesive whole as the story progresses.