Mikhail Bulgakov Books, Quotes, Biography, Novels

Mikhail Bulgakov Books, Quotes, Biography, Novels
Mikhail Bulgakov (Михаил Афанасьевич Булгаков, 1891–1940) was one of the most brilliant and subversive Russian/Soviet writers of the 20th century—a novelist, playwright, and satirist whose works blend sharp humor, fantasy, philosophical depth, and biting criticism of Soviet society.

Born on May 15, 1891 (May 3 Old Style), in Kyiv (then part of the Russian Empire, now Ukraine), he was the eldest of seven children in a family tied to the Russian Orthodox Church—his father was a professor at the Kyiv Theological Academy. Bulgakov trained as a doctor, graduating from Kyiv University in 1916, and worked as a physician during World War I and the Russian Civil War, including stints in remote areas where he contracted typhus. These experiences heavily influenced his early stories, such as those in A Young Doctor’s Notebook.

By the early 1920s, he abandoned medicine for writing and moved to Moscow in 1921, where he struggled under the new Bolshevik regime. He became known for satirical works that mocked bureaucracy, pseudoscience, and authoritarianism. His early successes included the novel The White Guard (1925, about a family of White officers during the Civil War) and its stage adaptation The Days of the Turbins, which Stalin reportedly watched multiple times despite its sympathetic portrayal of anti-Bolshevik characters.

However, Bulgakov faced constant censorship. By 1930, most of his work was banned from publication or performance. In desperation, he wrote a letter to Stalin asking either for permission to emigrate or to work in theater. Stalin personally called him and allowed theater work, but Bulgakov remained under surveillance and unable to publish freely.

His greatest masterpieces were written during this period of ostracism, often in secret:
The Master and Margarita (written 1928–1940): His undisputed magnum opus, a wild, multi-layered novel intertwining 1930s Moscow (where the Devil and his chaotic entourage visit and expose societal absurdities), the biblical story of Pontius Pilate and Yeshua (Jesus), and a tragic love story involving a tormented writer (“the Master”) and his devoted Margarita. It’s a masterpiece of satire, fantasy, philosophy, and redemption. Bulgakov finished revisions shortly before his death and famously told his wife Elena to keep the manuscript—”manuscripts don’t burn.” It was published (heavily censored) only in 1966–67, becoming a sensation and one of the most influential novels of the century.

Other notable works include the novellas Heart of a Dog (a biting satire on social engineering, adapted into popular films) and The Fatal Eggs, plus plays like Flight and a biography of Molière.

Bulgakov died on March 10, 1940, in Moscow from kidney disease (likely related to his earlier nephrosclerosis), at age 48. His full rehabilitation came posthumously, especially after The Master and Margarita’s release.

The best places to find Mikhail Bulgakov books online are:
eBay Books
Amazon.com Books