The Master and Margarita
by Mikhail Bulgakov

This novel was finished in 1940, shortly before Bulgakov's death. It was serialized in a heavily censored form in Moscow magazine in 1966, but not published in (complete, uncensored) book form until 1967. It concerns a visit by the devil to the fervently atheist Soviet Union, alternating between two settings: 1930s Moscow, and the Jerusalem of Pontius Pilate. The novel is rich in humor, magical realism, the supernatural, and has delightful absurdist tendencies. Many critics consider this book to be one of the best novels of the 20th century, an eminent example of Soviet satire.The first part of the book will be discussed at the June 8th meeting, and the second half will be discussed on June 22nd.