Background and Supplemental Readings and Reviews

[Kris]

This thread is for links or recommendations for any background and supplemental readings or reviews related to The Master and Margarita. Please provide warnings if you are linking to articles or reviews that contain spoilers.

[Kris]

Here's a collection of critical essays and primary sources: The Master and Margarita: A Critical Companion. I have it, but haven't read it yet, although I have heard good things about it. I'll be sure to post later if any essays seem especially good for the issues we discuss.

[Kris]

Website devoted to The Master and Margarita: http://www.masterandmargarita.eu/en/ It includes annotations as well: http://www.masterandmargarita.eu/en/0... Lots of supplemental material on it, too.

[Kris]

Middlebury website for the book, including annotations and other supplemental material: http://cr.middlebury.edu/bulgakov/pub...

[Kris]

Nataliya has posted a wonderful review of The Master and Margarita, and in the comments she includes Youtube links to a Russian TV show based on the novel. I know some of you will prefer to read it after you've finished M&M, but I wanted to be sure we had the link here for when you are ready.

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

[Kris]

I just found a good article: Stephen Lovell, "Bulgakov as Soviet Culture," The Slavonic and East European Review, Vol. 76, No. 1 (Jan., 1998), pp. 28-48. If any of you are interested in it, please send me your email address in a PM.

[Mark]

Without going into spoilers, there've been several places in the first 150 pages that I wasn't sure exactly how/why something was significant until reading the tidbit notes in back of the book (which, of course, is why they're there, haha). But even these notes weren't enough so I felt I truly understood. That's really the only strike against the book. It seems like you need to be familiar with Stalinist era Russian history to understand why some events are taking place, and their significance.

[Kris]

I know what you mean, Mark - I think that's always an issue, particularly with satires. So much is contextual.

[Mark]

I'm looking forward to your rating these supplemental reads! Once I finish, I'll begin combing through them too. With literary novels, I'm not really worried as much about spoilers, but it's fun to guess what satirists are mocking before looking it up. I've read some of Gorky's stories, but haven't read as many about life under Stalin. (Which, he prolly banned any kind of lit/stories that weren't pro-him.) Danil Kharms wrote these weird little flash fictions during that time, and Babel. Can't really figure out Babel's work, though

[Kris]

I just finished The Master and Margarita: A Critical Companion, edited by Laura Weeks. It's a great introduction to the main critical approaches on The Master and Margarita. My review is here: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

[Kris]

Moonbutterfly wrote: "Here is a video review from the First Tuesday Bookclub Review. I love their reviews and wish they posted more online."

This is great! I love the music, too.

[Aloha]

Terrific! Thank you.

Kris wrote: "Nataliya has posted a wonderful review of The Master and Margarita, and in the comments she includes Youtube links to a Russian TV show based on the novel. I know some of you will prefer to read it..."