Descrizione
Price: 26,73€
(as of Nov 19, 2024 04:26:23 UTC – Details)
Set in Moscow of the 1920’s, this satirical novel recounts the dealings a writer and his mistress have with Satan
Editore : Grove Pr; Reissue edizione (13 gennaio 1994)
Lingua : Inglese
Copertina flessibile : 402 pagine
ISBN-10 : 0802130119
ISBN-13 : 978-0802130112
Peso articolo : 454 g
Dimensioni : 13.72 x 3.3 x 20.83 cm
Irina del –
Everything is great : quality of the book and delivery to Mexico .
Joe –
Itâs hard to know where to begin when talking about this book. It is an absolute masterpiece. In my opinion, the conversation that surrounds this book centers too much on the political controversy surrounding Bulgakovâs works in his lifetime, which are frankly irrelevant. That the book was censored by the Soviet Union until well after Bulgakovâs death is irrelevant- the book is not some takedown of communism or of the Russian government or anything like that, and in fact, as an American reading it for the first time nearly 100 years after it was written, the book feels just as applicable to this current society as the one Bulgakov was writing within, as the book is more a criticism of our refusal to look at the world in magical ways in the modern world and how we kind of think we know everything.The book is about the Devil appearing in Soviet Moscow and the chaos that ensues following his arrival. Much of the chaos that the Devil (Woland) causes is as a result of his not being recognized by the secular society he appears in. The controversy at the time would have been the assumption on the part of the story that these Christian figures are real (as well as satirization of pretty much every type of official) but to a Christian, the book would also be blasphemous, as the depiction of Christ (Yeshua) is the least mystical aspect of the book, Christ himself is a beggar whom people seem to appreciate for his charisma. Yeshua even denounces the writers of the Gospels, saying their depiction of him completely misinterprets his teachings. On top of this, you find yourself really rooting for Woland as he rampages around Moscow, turning our modern society on its head. Woland isnât a bad guy- the spirituality of this book is very holistic, with Woland and Yeshua seeming to teach the same lesson but from opposite viewpoints- Yeshua offers forgiveness and redemption for those who side with him, whereas Woland punishes those who refuse to recognize him for what he is. Woland is the necessary foil to Yeshua, something which he himself points out in a late chapter.This edition of the book is also my favorite translation. Ginsberg captures the kinetic energy of the story like no one else, and while I can fly through this edition (I read it 10 times in a single year when I first read it, itâs really that good) other translations are a lot harder to get through. Though later translations may be âmore completeâ this is somewhat irrelevant, as Bulgakov died before completing the work. This version is much more streamlined than any other translation Iâve read. Nothing is missing from the story, and in fact, other translations Iâve read which include entire chapters which are not in this edition seem to drag a lot and you just spend more unnecessary time with irrelevant characters that donât necessarily add anything to the story. This is absolutely the definitive English edition of the story, a must read for anyone into spirituality, absurdist fiction, or just an entertaining read. 10/10
Amazon Customer –
I was attracted to this book after learning it was Mick Jagger’s inspiration for the song “Sympathy for the Devil.” Upon reading it, I learned two things of importance, one being that the Stones’ song was only very loosely based on the actual story and text, and was more of a springboard from which Jagger synthesized his ideas. The book, on the other hand, is a wild romp through Stalinesque Moscow, with the devil and his crew as hell raisers, but with a second theme being the crucifixion of Christ and Pontius Pilot’s role in the event, among others. It’s how the author connects these two plot lines that’s incredibly interesting. Having read much Kurt Vonnegut in my youth, I wondered if Vonnegut acquired some of this skill and inspiration for connecting disparate elements from Mikhail Bulgakov. It’s a great read and has inspired me to ingest more Russian literature from the period.
Tanya Matveeva –
Was happy to read with my English-language partner, very good translation of a great book
Ray Z.R. Whitt –
This is the second time I tried to read Master & Margarita, and I’m so glad I picked up this translation of it. It’s an incredible story and I devoured it. I even became a little obsessed with it. I don’t read as much as I used to but this book reminded me of how great a story can be. Also, for this particular book, the cover art is stunning.