Mikhail Bulgakov

Author profile

born

in Kiev, Ukraine

May 15, 1891

died

March 10, 1940

gender

male

genre

Literature & Fiction, Short Stories

About this author

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Mikhaíl Afanasyevich Bulgakov (Russian: Михаил Булгаков) was the first of six children in the family of a theology professor. His family belonged to the intellectual elite of Kiev. Bulgakov and his brothers took part in the demonstration commemorating the death of Leo Tolstoy. Bulgakov later graduated with honors from the Medical School of Kiev University in 1915. He married his classmate Tatiana Lappa, who became his assistant at surgeries and in his doctor's office. He practiced medicine, specializing in venereal and other infectious diseases, from 1915 to 1919 (he later wrote about the experience in "Notes of a Young Doctor.")

He joined the anti-communist White Army during the Russian Civil War. After the Civil War, he tried (unsuccesfull...more Mikhaíl Afanasyevich Bulgakov (Russian: Михаил Булгаков) was the first of six children in the family of a theology professor. His family belonged to the intellectual elite of Kiev. Bulgakov and his brothers took part in the demonstration commemorating the death of Leo Tolstoy. Bulgakov later graduated with honors from the Medical School of Kiev University in 1915. He married his classmate Tatiana Lappa, who became his assistant at surgeries and in his doctor's office. He practiced medicine, specializing in venereal and other infectious diseases, from 1915 to 1919 (he later wrote about the experience in "Notes of a Young Doctor.")

He joined the anti-communist White Army during the Russian Civil War. After the Civil War, he tried (unsuccesfully) to emigrate from Russia to reunite with his brother in Paris. Several times he was almost killed by opposing forces on both sides of the Russian Civil War, but soldiers needed doctors, so Bulgakov was left alive. He provided medical help to the Chehchens, Caucasians, Cossacs, Russians, the Whites, and the Reds.

In 1921, Bulgakov moved to Moscow. There he became a writer and became friends with Valentin Katayev, Yuri Olesha, Ilya Ilf, Yevgeni Petrov, and Konstantin Paustovsky. Later, he met Mikhail Zoschenko, Anna Akhmatova, Viktor Ardov, Sergei Mikhalkov, and Kornei Chukovsky. Bulgakov's plays at the Moscow Art Theatre were directed by Stanislavsky and Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko.

Bugakov's own way of life and his witty criticism of the ugly realities of life in the Soviet Union caused him much trouble. His story "Heart of a Dog" (1925) is a bitter satire about the loss of civilized values in Russia under the Soviet system. Soon after, Bulgakov was interrogated by the Soviet secret service, OGPU. After interrogations, his personal diary and several unfinished works were confiscated by the secret service. His plays were banned in all theaters, which terminated his income. Destitute, he wrote to his brother in Paris about his terrible life and poverty in Moscow. Bulgakov distanced himself from the Proletariat Writer's Union because he refused to write about the peasants and proletariat. He adapted "Dead Souls" by Nikolai Gogol for the stage; it became a success but was soon banned.

He took a risk and wrote a letter to Joseph Stalin with an ultimatum: "Let me out of the Soviet Union, or restore my work at the theaters." On the 18th of April of 1930, Bulgakov received a telephone call from Joseph Stalin. The dictator told the writer to fill an employment application at the Moscow Art Theater. Gradually, Bulgakov's plays were back in the repertoire of the Moscow Art Theatre. But most other theatres were in fear and did not stage any of the Bulgakov's plays for many years. At that time, the repressions, known as the "Great Terror" were started by an increasingly paranoid Joseph Stalin. Many of Bulgakov's friends and colleagues, like Vladimir Mayakovsky, Osip Mandelstam, Vsevolod Meyerhold, Anna Akhmatova, Mikhail Zoschenko and many others were censored, banned, prosecuted, exiled, imprisoned, executed, found dead, or just disappeared without a trace.

Mikhail Bulgakov died as a result of kidney failure.(less)

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Mikhail Bulgakov's Books

Average rating: 4.26 · 83,452 ratings · 4,525 reviews · 141 distinct works · Similar authors

	The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov, Katherine Tiernan O'Connor (Translator), Diana Burgin (Translator) 4.32 of 5 stars 4.32 avg rating — 62,342 ratings — published 1966 — 299 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Heart of a Dog by Mikhail Bulgakov, Mirra Ginsburg (Translation) 4.13 of 5 stars 4.13 avg rating — 9,457 ratings — published 1925 — 75 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The White Guard 4.02 of 5 stars 4.02 avg rating — 3,191 ratings — published 1924 — 60 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Country Doctor's Notebook 4.28 of 5 stars 4.28 avg rating — 2,011 ratings — published 1926 — 36 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Fatal Eggs by Mikhail Bulgakov, Hugh Aplin (Translator), Doris Lessing (Foreword) 3.76 of 5 stars 3.76 avg rating — 1,960 ratings — published 1925 — 33 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Morfine 4.22 of 5 stars 4.22 avg rating — 849 ratings — published 1926 — 19 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Diaboliad and Other Stories by Mikhail Bulgakov, Ellendea Proffer 4.07 of 5 stars 4.07 avg rating — 585 ratings — published 1972 — 6 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Black Snow by Mikhail Bulgakov, Michael Glenny (Translator) 3.8 of 5 stars 3.80 avg rating — 784 ratings — published 1965 — 36 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Life of Monsieur de Moliere by Mikhail Bulgakov, Mirra Ginsburg (Translator) 4.04 of 5 stars 4.04 avg rating — 347 ratings — published 1933 — 21 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Diaboliad 3.72 of 5 stars 3.72 avg rating — 246 ratings — published 1925 — 18 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Mikhail Bulgakov…

Quotes by Mikhail Bulgakov

“But would you kindly ponder this question: What would your good do if
evil didn't exist, and what would the earth look like if all the shadows
disappeared? After all, shadows are cast by things and people. Here is the
shadow of my sword. But shadows also come from trees and living beings.
Do you want to strip the earth of all trees and living things just because
of your fantasy of enjoying naked light? You're stupid.”
― Mikhail Bulgakov, The Master and Margarita

tags: evil, good

313 people liked it

“Everything will turn out right, the world is built on that.”
― Mikhail Bulgakov, The Master and Margarita

tags: humor, inspirational, satan

205 people liked it

“manuscripts don't burn" - "(рукописи не горят)”
― Mikhail Bulgakov, The Master and Margarita

tags: censorship

164 people liked it

See all Mikhail Bulgakov's quotes »

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Humour June 2012

Top voted will win!
Deadline to vote is 5/26/12

Seriously...I'm Kidding by Ellen DeGeneres

6 votes, 40.0%

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

5 votes, 33.3%

Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

3 votes, 20.0%

The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

1 vote, 6.7%

Bossypants by Tina Fey

0 votes, 0.0%

15 total votes

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