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 Customer Reviews
Different!, 10 Nov 2008
I am reading modern Russian authors at the moment and if this is anything to go buy then I am in for a big treat! What a strange tale. I can see why it was banned in Russia during Stalin's time although it could hardly be heralded as subversive - much too subtle.
Surreal soviet-era fantasy, 30 Oct 2008
Very strange book. I ought to have hated it more - the politics, in so far as there are any, are unpleasant - the book begins with a confrontation between Satan and soviet apparatchik, with the former admonishing the latter for not believing in either him or Jesus as a historical figure, and the apparatchik then meeting a horrible death exactly as foretold by the Devil. Nasty stupid stuff.
And yet the writing is really very good, and the touch light, and narrative flow intriguing. I ended up finishing this despite myself, and despite having something else that I wanted to get on to.
Stalin liked Bulgakov's work and protected him, despite the writer's anti-soviet attitudes and philosophy. After reading this, I can understand why, thought I never thought of JV as having much of a sense of humour.
An afterthought: after reading the book have a look at the pictures of Bulgakov on the Wikipedia page about him -- at various times in life he rather resembles some of the characters in the novel, I think.
I can't wait to read it again!, 10 Oct 2008
Until my late teens I didn't much care for novels - school, frankly, could have offered better, plus there was just too much interesting non-fiction out there.
The novel that changed all that was Heller's Catch 22. Years later no other novel had gotten close, and it was safely occupying its unique position as my "greatest novel of all time".
That is until Mr Bulgakhov was brought to my attention! A Russian friend would just not stop going on about it.
I can't claim to have been wowed by every literary flourish here (I'm not a mature enough reader to see them!), and I certainly didn't spot the most subtle digs at the communist Russia Bulgakhov inhabited, but I certianly was gripped from beggining to end.
This is a very funny, very clever, well constructed and well written book that I can't wait to read again soon.
I would strongly urge..........., 26 Jun 2008
........potential readers to avoid and ignore the review below entitled 'What is so great about this book really?' and instead read the review 'Caution: Hypnotists in Moscow!' by A. L. Stannard. This book is quite simply a masterpiece!
What is so great about this book really?, 20 Apr 2008
Oh dear - everyone else seems to rave about this book, but I found it very difficult to read and have just decided to give up on it two thirds of the way through. Yes, there are some funny and disturbing scenes that kept me reading through those bits, but the beginning of the second part has killed off my waning interest. There are far better satires about Soviet life and it shouldn't need devils and witches to bring it off.
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Customer Reviews
Different!, 10 Nov 2008
I am reading modern Russian authors at the moment and if this is anything to go buy then I am in for a big treat! What a strange tale. I can see why it was banned in Russia during Stalin's time although it could hardly be heralded as subversive - much too subtle.
Surreal soviet-era fantasy, 30 Oct 2008
Very strange book. I ought to have hated it more - the politics, in so far as there are any, are unpleasant - the book begins with a confrontation between Satan and soviet apparatchik, with the former admonishing the latter for not believing in either him or Jesus as a historical figure, and the apparatchik then meeting a horrible death exactly as foretold by the Devil. Nasty stupid stuff.
And yet the writing is really very good, and the touch light, and narrative flow intriguing. I ended up finishing this despite myself, and despite having something else that I wanted to get on to.
Stalin liked Bulgakov's work and protected him, despite the writer's anti-soviet attitudes and philosophy. After reading this, I can understand why, thought I never thought of JV as having much of a sense of humour.
An afterthought: after reading the book have a look at the pictures of Bulgakov on the Wikipedia page about him -- at various times in life he rather resembles some of the characters in the novel, I think. I can't wait to read it again!, 10 Oct 2008
Until my late teens I didn't much care for novels - school, frankly, could have offered better, plus there was just too much interesting non-fiction out there.
The novel that changed all that was Heller's Catch 22. Years later no other novel had gotten close, and it was safely occupying its unique position as my "greatest novel of all time".
That is until Mr Bulgakhov was brought to my attention! A Russian friend would just not stop going on about it.
I can't claim to have been wowed by every literary flourish here (I'm not a mature enough reader to see them!), and I certainly didn't spot the most subtle digs at the communist Russia Bulgakhov inhabited, but I certianly was gripped from beggining to end.
This is a very funny, very clever, well constructed and well written book that I can't wait to read again soon. I would strongly urge..........., 26 Jun 2008
........potential readers to avoid and ignore the review below entitled 'What is so great about this book really?' and instead read the review 'Caution: Hypnotists in Moscow!' by A. L. Stannard. This book is quite simply a masterpiece!
What is so great about this book really?, 20 Apr 2008
Oh dear - everyone else seems to rave about this book, but I found it very difficult to read and have just decided to give up on it two thirds of the way through. Yes, there are some funny and disturbing scenes that kept me reading through those bits, but the beginning of the second part has killed off my waning interest. There are far better satires about Soviet life and it shouldn't need devils and witches to bring it off. Woof!, 25 Jun 2008
We had Behemoth the cat in "The Master And Magarita". Now it's Sharik the dog. Sharik the hungry waif dog picked up by the brilliant scientist Preobrazhensky and fed until the fat canine starts to believe that he's entitled to the good life. But in life nothing is free. Once upon a day Sharik is drugged for a very unusual operation - the brilliant surgeon replaces the dog's genitals and pituitary glands with human ones. The dog survives the operation against all odds and then astonishingly starts to speak and behave human. Before you could say Jack Robinson rumours are flying all over Moscow and everyone wants in on the secret. The human-dog reads, attends the theatre, gets a job and is even made a citizen.
There won't be a story if that was the end of it. It wasn't and it's not long before the experiment goes horribly wonky. Preobrazhensky must now decide how to cure his monstrous construct. The story is absurd of course but it is so off the wall funny you can't put it down. When a story begins in the first person spoken by a dog with guile and a salacious sense of humour then one's fate is sealed - the book must be read.
It is well known that Bulgakov's tale is an indictment against Bolshevism. Written in 1925 the story of how a brilliant Lenin created a monster out of the proletariat was not the sort of reading material suitable for comrades. History and hindsight may now show us clearly the fault lines of Leninism but it was clear to some others within 10 years of the revolution as demonstrated by Preobrazhensky's rather incautious musings. Another 10 years and Stalin would have made mince meat of this rather proud and rash gentleman.
It is irrelevant if you have no interest in Russia or its history. This book stands on its own three feet. Outstanding. Excellent!, 11 Jun 2008
As a Russian native speaker I was a bit suspicious about this genius piece being translated into English. However, as soon as I started reading I couldn't stop! Savouring every page of it and passed this book on to my English friends. Although some of the things described by the author would be a bit confusing to someone who never lived in Russia or has limited or little knowledge of its history and culture. A must read for everyone who has interest in Russia or that period in history in particular. An Absurd Masterpiece, 20 Jan 2006
Completed by Bulgakov in 1925, this short story remained unpublished in the Soviet Union for almost sixty years. When it finally appeared on Soviet bookshelves in 1987 it became an instant hit and is arguably seen as on of the author’s most hard-hitting novels. Not for nothing did Stalin’s censors deem this book too sensitive for publication. ‘The Heart of a Dog’ is the absurd story of a stray dog, who is taken in from the streets by a well-known, well-off Professor named Philip Philipovich Preobrazhensky in order that he may attempt a groundbreaking operation; the transplantation of human testicles and pituitary gland into the dog. The operation is successful; however the Professor has produced an intolerable being which resembles a human of revolutionary sentiment with a dog-like penchant for chasing cats. The story is enjoyable in and of itself, and one must congratulate Bulgakov for his imagination and inventiveness – forced upon him by the oppressive intellectual climate of his time - in thinking up such a tale. In addition, It is very easy to read and interesting for its portrayal of the atmosphere in a bourgeois household in 1920s Moscow. There are also a number of other levels to the book and various interpretations of what Bulgakov’s true message was. It is worth noting, for example, that Professor Preobrazhensky’s name is a derivative of the Slavic word for ‘transfiguration’, and the book is ostensibly about failed attempts to improve upon human nature. Thus, Bulgakov may be seen to be either ridiculing Soviet attempts to create communist supermen or attacking science’s interference with nature. Finally, another interpretation of the story sees it as a parable of the 1917 Revolution in which things were set into motion which became almost uncontrollable. ‘The Heart of a Dog’ is a classic story of great intellectual value, which deserves to be read and which is immensely enjoyable for its absurdity, humour, and political message(s).
Open to many interpretations ..., 15 Sep 2004
Mikhail Bulgakov (1891-1940) endured the difficult experience of having to live under the pressure of censorship, but has nonetheless left some interesting books that allow us to know what he thought about the process that has taking place in the newborn Soviet Russia. "Heart of a dog" is one of those books. It was written by Bulgakov in 1925, but it wasn`t published in Soviet Russia until 1987, due to the fact that it can easily be interpreted as a critical satire regarding the URSS. "Heart of a dog" is the story of a stray dog, Sharik, that hasn`t led an easy life. He lives in the streets of Moscow, and eats what he can, when he can. However, one day a doctor gives him food and takes him to his home. Sharik believes that his fate has changed, but he doesn`t know that the doctor has rather strange intentions... The doctor wants to perform an experiment on Sharik, in order to learn what would happen if some human organs were transplanted to a dog. The doctor performs the operation, implanting in Sharik the pituitary gland and the testicles of a dead criminal. Against all odds, Sharik survives the operation, and from that moment on begins an extraordinary transformation, that makes him more and more human. But what kind of human is he?. Sharik can talk, and asks everybody to call him first "Mr. Sharikov", and afterwards "Polygraph Polygraphovich Sharikov". He also walks like a human being, and somehow resembles one... But can he think, or does he merely repeat what he hears, specially Marx`s teachings?. Has the doctor`s experiment ruined a perfectly good dog, making him a perfectly despicable "human" being that threatens to denounce counterrevolutionaries and chases cats?. I don`t want to tell you more about this book: you really should read it yourself. It isn`t long, but it is quite interesting. What is more important, it is open to many interpretations, and you can always find your own. Some people believe that for Bulgakov Sharik represented the failure of those who try to create new beings (exactly what was supposedly being done at that time in the URSS, with the "soviet man"). Others highlight the glimpses of Soviet society that "Heart of a dog" allows us to have, and think that the aim of the author was to give the reader at least an idea of what it was like to live in the URSS at that time... These few possible interpretations don't exclude others, so read this book and find them!!. Obviously, I highly recommend "Heart of a dog"... Belen Alcat
lovely, 15 Nov 2003
For me, this book is his best. It has the playfullness, the surrealism and hilarity of his other stuff aswell as the vertiginous layers of satire reminiscent of early Swift coupled with the magical bizarre imagery of Lewis Carrol. It is also ingeniously structured- something like a work of art- although it always feels like it has complete freedom. A vague understanding of the Russian Revolution and what happened after is perhaps necessary- although the book goes deeper than the modern conception of satire, and well, give it a shot.
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Customer Reviews
Different!, 10 Nov 2008
I am reading modern Russian authors at the moment and if this is anything to go buy then I am in for a big treat! What a strange tale. I can see why it was banned in Russia during Stalin's time although it could hardly be heralded as subversive - much too subtle.
Surreal soviet-era fantasy, 30 Oct 2008
Very strange book. I ought to have hated it more - the politics, in so far as there are any, are unpleasant - the book begins with a confrontation between Satan and soviet apparatchik, with the former admonishing the latter for not believing in either him or Jesus as a historical figure, and the apparatchik then meeting a horrible death exactly as foretold by the Devil. Nasty stupid stuff.
And yet the writing is really very good, and the touch light, and narrative flow intriguing. I ended up finishing this despite myself, and despite having something else that I wanted to get on to.
Stalin liked Bulgakov's work and protected him, despite the writer's anti-soviet attitudes and philosophy. After reading this, I can understand why, thought I never thought of JV as having much of a sense of humour.
An afterthought: after reading the book have a look at the pictures of Bulgakov on the Wikipedia page about him -- at various times in life he rather resembles some of the characters in the novel, I think. I can't wait to read it again!, 10 Oct 2008
Until my late teens I didn't much care for novels - school, frankly, could have offered better, plus there was just too much interesting non-fiction out there.
The novel that changed all that was Heller's Catch 22. Years later no other novel had gotten close, and it was safely occupying its unique position as my "greatest novel of all time".
That is until Mr Bulgakhov was brought to my attention! A Russian friend would just not stop going on about it.
I can't claim to have been wowed by every literary flourish here (I'm not a mature enough reader to see them!), and I certainly didn't spot the most subtle digs at the communist Russia Bulgakhov inhabited, but I certianly was gripped from beggining to end.
This is a very funny, very clever, well constructed and well written book that I can't wait to read again soon. I would strongly urge..........., 26 Jun 2008
........potential readers to avoid and ignore the review below entitled 'What is so great about this book really?' and instead read the review 'Caution: Hypnotists in Moscow!' by A. L. Stannard. This book is quite simply a masterpiece!
What is so great about this book really?, 20 Apr 2008
Oh dear - everyone else seems to rave about this book, but I found it very difficult to read and have just decided to give up on it two thirds of the way through. Yes, there are some funny and disturbing scenes that kept me reading through those bits, but the beginning of the second part has killed off my waning interest. There are far better satires about Soviet life and it shouldn't need devils and witches to bring it off. Woof!, 25 Jun 2008
We had Behemoth the cat in "The Master And Magarita". Now it's Sharik the dog. Sharik the hungry waif dog picked up by the brilliant scientist Preobrazhensky and fed until the fat canine starts to believe that he's entitled to the good life. But in life nothing is free. Once upon a day Sharik is drugged for a very unusual operation - the brilliant surgeon replaces the dog's genitals and pituitary glands with human ones. The dog survives the operation against all odds and then astonishingly starts to speak and behave human. Before you could say Jack Robinson rumours are flying all over Moscow and everyone wants in on the secret. The human-dog reads, attends the theatre, gets a job and is even made a citizen.
There won't be a story if that was the end of it. It wasn't and it's not long before the experiment goes horribly wonky. Preobrazhensky must now decide how to cure his monstrous construct. The story is absurd of course but it is so off the wall funny you can't put it down. When a story begins in the first person spoken by a dog with guile and a salacious sense of humour then one's fate is sealed - the book must be read.
It is well known that Bulgakov's tale is an indictment against Bolshevism. Written in 1925 the story of how a brilliant Lenin created a monster out of the proletariat was not the sort of reading material suitable for comrades. History and hindsight may now show us clearly the fault lines of Leninism but it was clear to some others within 10 years of the revolution as demonstrated by Preobrazhensky's rather incautious musings. Another 10 years and Stalin would have made mince meat of this rather proud and rash gentleman.
It is irrelevant if you have no interest in Russia or its history. This book stands on its own three feet. Outstanding. Excellent!, 11 Jun 2008
As a Russian native speaker I was a bit suspicious about this genius piece being translated into English. However, as soon as I started reading I couldn't stop! Savouring every page of it and passed this book on to my English friends. Although some of the things described by the author would be a bit confusing to someone who never lived in Russia or has limited or little knowledge of its history and culture. A must read for everyone who has interest in Russia or that period in history in particular. An Absurd Masterpiece, 20 Jan 2006
Completed by Bulgakov in 1925, this short story remained unpublished in the Soviet Union for almost sixty years. When it finally appeared on Soviet bookshelves in 1987 it became an instant hit and is arguably seen as on of the author’s most hard-hitting novels. Not for nothing did Stalin’s censors deem this book too sensitive for publication. ‘The Heart of a Dog’ is the absurd story of a stray dog, who is taken in from the streets by a well-known, well-off Professor named Philip Philipovich Preobrazhensky in order that he may attempt a groundbreaking operation; the transplantation of human testicles and pituitary gland into the dog. The operation is successful; however the Professor has produced an intolerable being which resembles a human of revolutionary sentiment with a dog-like penchant for chasing cats. The story is enjoyable in and of itself, and one must congratulate Bulgakov for his imagination and inventiveness – forced upon him by the oppressive intellectual climate of his time - in thinking up such a tale. In addition, It is very easy to read and interesting for its portrayal of the atmosphere in a bourgeois household in 1920s Moscow. There are also a number of other levels to the book and various interpretations of what Bulgakov’s true message was. It is worth noting, for example, that Professor Preobrazhensky’s name is a derivative of the Slavic word for ‘transfiguration’, and the book is ostensibly about failed attempts to improve upon human nature. Thus, Bulgakov may be seen to be either ridiculing Soviet attempts to create communist supermen or attacking science’s interference with nature. Finally, another interpretation of the story sees it as a parable of the 1917 Revolution in which things were set into motion which became almost uncontrollable. ‘The Heart of a Dog’ is a classic story of great intellectual value, which deserves to be read and which is immensely enjoyable for its absurdity, humour, and political message(s).
Open to many interpretations ..., 15 Sep 2004
Mikhail Bulgakov (1891-1940) endured the difficult experience of having to live under the pressure of censorship, but has nonetheless left some interesting books that allow us to know what he thought about the process that has taking place in the newborn Soviet Russia. "Heart of a dog" is one of those books. It was written by Bulgakov in 1925, but it wasn`t published in Soviet Russia until 1987, due to the fact that it can easily be interpreted as a critical satire regarding the URSS. "Heart of a dog" is the story of a stray dog, Sharik, that hasn`t led an easy life. He lives in the streets of Moscow, and eats what he can, when he can. However, one day a doctor gives him food and takes him to his home. Sharik believes that his fate has changed, but he doesn`t know that the doctor has rather strange intentions... The doctor wants to perform an experiment on Sharik, in order to learn what would happen if some human organs were transplanted to a dog. The doctor performs the operation, implanting in Sharik the pituitary gland and the testicles of a dead criminal. Against all odds, Sharik survives the operation, and from that moment on begins an extraordinary transformation, that makes him more and more human. But what kind of human is he?. Sharik can talk, and asks everybody to call him first "Mr. Sharikov", and afterwards "Polygraph Polygraphovich Sharikov". He also walks like a human being, and somehow resembles one... But can he think, or does he merely repeat what he hears, specially Marx`s teachings?. Has the doctor`s experiment ruined a perfectly good dog, making him a perfectly despicable "human" being that threatens to denounce counterrevolutionaries and chases cats?. I don`t want to tell you more about this book: you really should read it yourself. It isn`t long, but it is quite interesting. What is more important, it is open to many interpretations, and you can always find your own. Some people believe that for Bulgakov Sharik represented the failure of those who try to create new beings (exactly what was supposedly being done at that time in the URSS, with the "soviet man"). Others highlight the glimpses of Soviet society that "Heart of a dog" allows us to have, and think that the aim of the author was to give the reader at least an idea of what it was like to live in the URSS at that time... These few possible interpretations don't exclude others, so read this book and find them!!. Obviously, I highly recommend "Heart of a dog"... Belen Alcat
lovely, 15 Nov 2003
For me, this book is his best. It has the playfullness, the surrealism and hilarity of his other stuff aswell as the vertiginous layers of satire reminiscent of early Swift coupled with the magical bizarre imagery of Lewis Carrol. It is also ingeniously structured- something like a work of art- although it always feels like it has complete freedom. A vague understanding of the Russian Revolution and what happened after is perhaps necessary- although the book goes deeper than the modern conception of satire, and well, give it a shot.
Different!, 10 Nov 2008
I am reading modern Russian authors at the moment and if this is anything to go buy then I am in for a big treat! What a strange tale. I can see why it was banned in Russia during Stalin's time although it could hardly be heralded as subversive - much too subtle.
Surreal soviet-era fantasy, 30 Oct 2008
Very strange book. I ought to have hated it more - the politics, in so far as there are any, are unpleasant - the book begins with a confrontation between Satan and soviet apparatchik, with the former admonishing the latter for not believing in either him or Jesus as a historical figure, and the apparatchik then meeting a horrible death exactly as foretold by the Devil. Nasty stupid stuff.
And yet the writing is really very good, and the touch light, and narrative flow intriguing. I ended up finishing this despite myself, and despite having something else that I wanted to get on to.
Stalin liked Bulgakov's work and protected him, despite the writer's anti-soviet attitudes and philosophy. After reading this, I can understand why, thought I never thought of JV as having much of a sense of humour.
An afterthought: after reading the book have a look at the pictures of Bulgakov on the Wikipedia page about him -- at various times in life he rather resembles some of the characters in the novel, I think.
I can't wait to read it again!, 10 Oct 2008
Until my late teens I didn't much care for novels - school, frankly, could have offered better, plus there was just too much interesting non-fiction out there.
The novel that changed all that was Heller's Catch 22. Years later no other novel had gotten close, and it was safely occupying its unique position as my "greatest novel of all time".
That is until Mr Bulgakhov was brought to my attention! A Russian friend would just not stop going on about it.
I can't claim to have been wowed by every literary flourish here (I'm not a mature enough reader to see them!), and I certainly didn't spot the most subtle digs at the communist Russia Bulgakhov inhabited, but I certianly was gripped from beggining to end.
This is a very funny, very clever, well constructed and well written book that I can't wait to read again soon.
I would strongly urge..........., 26 Jun 2008
........potential readers to avoid and ignore the review below entitled 'What is so great about this book really?' and instead read the review 'Caution: Hypnotists in Moscow!' by A. L. Stannard. This book is quite simply a masterpiece!
What is so great about this book really?, 20 Apr 2008
Oh dear - everyone else seems to rave about this book, but I found it very difficult to read and have just decided to give up on it two thirds of the way through. Yes, there are some funny and disturbing scenes that kept me reading through those bits, but the beginning of the second part has killed off my waning interest. There are far better satires about Soviet life and it shouldn't need devils and witches to bring it off.
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Customer Reviews
Different!, 10 Nov 2008
I am reading modern Russian authors at the moment and if this is anything to go buy then I am in for a big treat! What a strange tale. I can see why it was banned in Russia during Stalin's time although it could hardly be heralded as subversive - much too subtle.
Surreal soviet-era fantasy, 30 Oct 2008
Very strange book. I ought to have hated it more - the politics, in so far as there are any, are unpleasant - the book begins with a confrontation between Satan and soviet apparatchik, with the former admonishing the latter for not believing in either him or Jesus as a historical figure, and the apparatchik then meeting a horrible death exactly as foretold by the Devil. Nasty stupid stuff.
And yet the writing is really very good, and the touch light, and narrative flow intriguing. I ended up finishing this despite myself, and despite having something else that I wanted to get on to.
Stalin liked Bulgakov's work and protected him, despite the writer's anti-soviet attitudes and philosophy. After reading this, I can understand why, thought I never thought of JV as having much of a sense of humour.
An afterthought: after reading the book have a look at the pictures of Bulgakov on the Wikipedia page about him -- at various times in life he rather resembles some of the characters in the novel, I think. I can't wait to read it again!, 10 Oct 2008
Until my late teens I didn't much care for novels - school, frankly, could have offered better, plus there was just too much interesting non-fiction out there.
The novel that changed all that was Heller's Catch 22. Years later no other novel had gotten close, and it was safely occupying its unique position as my "greatest novel of all time".
That is until Mr Bulgakhov was brought to my attention! A Russian friend would just not stop going on about it.
I can't claim to have been wowed by every literary flourish here (I'm not a mature enough reader to see them!), and I certainly didn't spot the most subtle digs at the communist Russia Bulgakhov inhabited, but I certianly was gripped from beggining to end.
This is a very funny, very clever, well constructed and well written book that I can't wait to read again soon. I would strongly urge..........., 26 Jun 2008
........potential readers to avoid and ignore the review below entitled 'What is so great about this book really?' and instead read the review 'Caution: Hypnotists in Moscow!' by A. L. Stannard. This book is quite simply a masterpiece!
What is so great about this book really?, 20 Apr 2008
Oh dear - everyone else seems to rave about this book, but I found it very difficult to read and have just decided to give up on it two thirds of the way through. Yes, there are some funny and disturbing scenes that kept me reading through those bits, but the beginning of the second part has killed off my waning interest. There are far better satires about Soviet life and it shouldn't need devils and witches to bring it off. Woof!, 25 Jun 2008
We had Behemoth the cat in "The Master And Magarita". Now it's Sharik the dog. Sharik the hungry waif dog picked up by the brilliant scientist Preobrazhensky and fed until the fat canine starts to believe that he's entitled to the good life. But in life nothing is free. Once upon a day Sharik is drugged for a very unusual operation - the brilliant surgeon replaces the dog's genitals and pituitary glands with human ones. The dog survives the operation against all odds and then astonishingly starts to speak and behave human. Before you could say Jack Robinson rumours are flying all over Moscow and everyone wants in on the secret. The human-dog reads, attends the theatre, gets a job and is even made a citizen.
There won't be a story if that was the end of it. It wasn't and it's not long before the experiment goes horribly wonky. Preobrazhensky must now decide how to cure his monstrous construct. The story is absurd of course but it is so off the wall funny you can't put it down. When a story begins in the first person spoken by a dog with guile and a salacious sense of humour then one's fate is sealed - the book must be read.
It is well known that Bulgakov's tale is an indictment against Bolshevism. Written in 1925 the story of how a brilliant Lenin created a monster out of the proletariat was not the sort of reading material suitable for comrades. History and hindsight may now show us clearly the fault lines of Leninism but it was clear to some others within 10 years of the revolution as demonstrated by Preobrazhensky's rather incautious musings. Another 10 years and Stalin would have made mince meat of this rather proud and rash gentleman.
It is irrelevant if you have no interest in Russia or its history. This book stands on its own three feet. Outstanding. Excellent!, 11 Jun 2008
As a Russian native speaker I was a bit suspicious about this genius piece being translated into English. However, as soon as I started reading I couldn't stop! Savouring every page of it and passed this book on to my English friends. Although some of the things described by the author would be a bit confusing to someone who never lived in Russia or has limited or little knowledge of its history and culture. A must read for everyone who has interest in Russia or that period in history in particular. An Absurd Masterpiece, 20 Jan 2006
Completed by Bulgakov in 1925, this short story remained unpublished in the Soviet Union for almost sixty years. When it finally appeared on Soviet bookshelves in 1987 it became an instant hit and is arguably seen as on of the author’s most hard-hitting novels. Not for nothing did Stalin’s censors deem this book too sensitive for publication. ‘The Heart of a Dog’ is the absurd story of a stray dog, who is taken in from the streets by a well-known, well-off Professor named Philip Philipovich Preobrazhensky in order that he may attempt a groundbreaking operation; the transplantation of human testicles and pituitary gland into the dog. The operation is successful; however the Professor has produced an intolerable being which resembles a human of revolutionary sentiment with a dog-like penchant for chasing cats. The story is enjoyable in and of itself, and one must congratulate Bulgakov for his imagination and inventiveness – forced upon him by the oppressive intellectual climate of his time - in thinking up such a tale. In addition, It is very easy to read and interesting for its portrayal of the atmosphere in a bourgeois household in 1920s Moscow. There are also a number of other levels to the book and various interpretations of what Bulgakov’s true message was. It is worth noting, for example, that Professor Preobrazhensky’s name is a derivative of the Slavic word for ‘transfiguration’, and the book is ostensibly about failed attempts to improve upon human nature. Thus, Bulgakov may be seen to be either ridiculing Soviet attempts to create communist supermen or attacking science’s interference with nature. Finally, another interpretation of the story sees it as a parable of the 1917 Revolution in which things were set into motion which became almost uncontrollable. ‘The Heart of a Dog’ is a classic story of great intellectual value, which deserves to be read and which is immensely enjoyable for its absurdity, humour, and political message(s).
Open to many interpretations ..., 15 Sep 2004
Mikhail Bulgakov (1891-1940) endured the difficult experience of having to live under the pressure of censorship, but has nonetheless left some interesting books that allow us to know what he thought about the process that has taking place in the newborn Soviet Russia. "Heart of a dog" is one of those books. It was written by Bulgakov in 1925, but it wasn`t published in Soviet Russia until 1987, due to the fact that it can easily be interpreted as a critical satire regarding the URSS. "Heart of a dog" is the story of a stray dog, Sharik, that hasn`t led an easy life. He lives in the streets of Moscow, and eats what he can, when he can. However, one day a doctor gives him food and takes him to his home. Sharik believes that his fate has changed, but he doesn`t know that the doctor has rather strange intentions... The doctor wants to perform an experiment on Sharik, in order to learn what would happen if some human organs were transplanted to a dog. The doctor performs the operation, implanting in Sharik the pituitary gland and the testicles of a dead criminal. Against all odds, Sharik survives the operation, and from that moment on begins an extraordinary transformation, that makes him more and more human. But what kind of human is he?. Sharik can talk, and asks everybody to call him first "Mr. Sharikov", and afterwards "Polygraph Polygraphovich Sharikov". He also walks like a human being, and somehow resembles one... But can he think, or does he merely repeat what he hears, specially Marx`s teachings?. Has the doctor`s experiment ruined a perfectly good dog, making him a perfectly despicable "human" being that threatens to denounce counterrevolutionaries and chases cats?. I don`t want to tell you more about this book: you really should read it yourself. It isn`t long, but it is quite interesting. What is more important, it is open to many interpretations, and you can always find your own. Some people believe that for Bulgakov Sharik represented the failure of those who try to create new beings (exactly what was supposedly being done at that time in the URSS, with the "soviet man"). Others highlight the glimpses of Soviet society that "Heart of a dog" allows us to have, and think that the aim of the author was to give the reader at least an idea of what it was like to live in the URSS at that time... These few possible interpretations don't exclude others, so read this book and find them!!. Obviously, I highly recommend "Heart of a dog"... Belen Alcat
lovely, 15 Nov 2003
For me, this book is his best. It has the playfullness, the surrealism and hilarity of his other stuff aswell as the vertiginous layers of satire reminiscent of early Swift coupled with the magical bizarre imagery of Lewis Carrol. It is also ingeniously structured- something like a work of art- although it always feels like it has complete freedom. A vague understanding of the Russian Revolution and what happened after is perhaps necessary- although the book goes deeper than the modern conception of satire, and well, give it a shot.
Different!, 10 Nov 2008
I am reading modern Russian authors at the moment and if this is anything to go buy then I am in for a big treat! What a strange tale. I can see why it was banned in Russia during Stalin's time although it could hardly be heralded as subversive - much too subtle.
Surreal soviet-era fantasy, 30 Oct 2008
Very strange book. I ought to have hated it more - the politics, in so far as there are any, are unpleasant - the book begins with a confrontation between Satan and soviet apparatchik, with the former admonishing the latter for not believing in either him or Jesus as a historical figure, and the apparatchik then meeting a horrible death exactly as foretold by the Devil. Nasty stupid stuff.
And yet the writing is really very good, and the touch light, and narrative flow intriguing. I ended up finishing this despite myself, and despite having something else that I wanted to get on to.
Stalin liked Bulgakov's work and protected him, despite the writer's anti-soviet attitudes and philosophy. After reading this, I can understand why, thought I never thought of JV as having much of a sense of humour.
An afterthought: after reading the book have a look at the pictures of Bulgakov on the Wikipedia page about him -- at various times in life he rather resembles some of the characters in the novel, I think.
I can't wait to read it again!, 10 Oct 2008
Until my late teens I didn't much care for novels - school, frankly, could have offered better, plus there was just too much interesting non-fiction out there.
The novel that changed all that was Heller's Catch 22. Years later no other novel had gotten close, and it was safely occupying its unique position as my "greatest novel of all time".
That is until Mr Bulgakhov was brought to my attention! A Russian friend would just not stop going on about it.
I can't claim to have been wowed by every literary flourish here (I'm not a mature enough reader to see them!), and I certainly didn't spot the most subtle digs at the communist Russia Bulgakhov inhabited, but I certianly was gripped from beggining to end.
This is a very funny, very clever, well constructed and well written book that I can't wait to read again soon.
I would strongly urge..........., 26 Jun 2008
........potential readers to avoid and ignore the review below entitled 'What is so great about this book really?' and instead read the review 'Caution: Hypnotists in Moscow!' by A. L. Stannard. This book is quite simply a masterpiece!
What is so great about this book really?, 20 Apr 2008
Oh dear - everyone else seems to rave about this book, but I found it very difficult to read and have just decided to give up on it two thirds of the way through. Yes, there are some funny and disturbing scenes that kept me reading through those bits, but the beginning of the second part has killed off my waning interest. There are far better satires about Soviet life and it shouldn't need devils and witches to bring it off.
Bulgakov the genius does it again, 13 Jul 2008
This is Bulgakov's own personal journey as a doctor recently graduated and sent to the countryside to practice. This is something that is still common in a number of developing countries and is used both to even up the social balance of city and country and also to provide medical care to those who otherwise would have to do without.
Bulgakov is dispatched and displays all the idealism of a young doctor mixed with the pessimism's of a man who is being sent far from home and the comforts of the city to a place that may as well be a foreign country.
Bulgakov in his usual quiet way exposes the ignorance of the common people and often the incompetence of his own skill. The stories he retells here are both moving and touching, peasants who when given medicine apply it to their outer clothing rather than the skin, a hospital staff who medical skill leaves a lot to be desired.
Bulgakov is humorous as usual and while providing the reader with a book that judging by the cover may be slow and tedious is in fact fast paced, and will leave the reader laughing at times and in disbelief in others.
A wonderful book that should be read.
Superb writing! Superb translation!, 10 Jan 2004
I stumbled upon this book by chance when I was browsing the "bargain books" in the one and only English bookstore in Strasbourg. The book is about a young Russian doctor's 1st year as a country doctor in the Northwest part of Russia. It is a collection of many short stories. The writing reflects the author's ability as a play writer - good use of "visual" and "audio" effects such as the description of the weather (which seems to be constantly in a winter blizzard and in the dark) as well as the "tightness" of the writing. The author did not throw out ineffective big words/long sentences to describe the state of mind of the main character in the book, but let the short stories tell the story of the changes which took place inside the young doctor. I could not stop reading until I finished. Advice: do not start reading this book on Sunday evening...
A superb literary work., 14 Jun 2001
This part autobiography, part fictional book is a collection of stories from Bulgakov's experiences as a young, inexperienced doctor in pre-revolution rural Russia. As a new graduate, often still mistaken for a younger boy, Bulgakov conveys his neurotic state with a mixture of images and schizophrenic dialogue with himself. It is so difficult to understand the isolation he feels, to imagine being "32 miles from the nearest electric light." and being responsible for the lives of so many people who flood through his doors. A great deal of the narrative takes place during dark nights, howling winds and blizzards. Its purpose is multifarious; it makes the whole setting more dramatic and allows the hospital to be a prick of light surrounded be darkness, a ray of hope for all around. I feel it also intensifies the isolation. The stresses and strains of such a predicament can take their toll on such a green professional can clearly be seen in the tale named "Morphine". I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would firmly recommend it to anyone. I read "A Country Doctor's Notebook" while looking for a book to write an essay on and this was the eventual winner, beating books of all genres - from Banks to Balzac. I can think of no higher praise.
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Customer Reviews
Different!, 10 Nov 2008
I am reading modern Russian authors at the moment and if this is anything to go buy then I am in for a big treat! What a strange tale. I can see why it was banned in Russia during Stalin's time although it could hardly be heralded as subversive - much too subtle.
Surreal soviet-era fantasy, 30 Oct 2008
Very strange book. I ought to have hated it more - the politics, in so far as there are any, are unpleasant - the book begins with a confrontation between Satan and soviet apparatchik, with the former admonishing the latter for not believing in either him or Jesus as a historical figure, and the apparatchik then meeting a horrible death exactly as foretold by the Devil. Nasty stupid stuff.
And yet the writing is really very good, and the touch light, and narrative flow intriguing. I ended up finishing this despite myself, and despite having something else that I wanted to get on to.
Stalin liked Bulgakov's work and protected him, despite the writer's anti-soviet attitudes and philosophy. After reading this, I can understand why, thought I never thought of JV as having much of a sense of humour.
An afterthought: after reading the book have a look at the pictures of Bulgakov on the Wikipedia page about him -- at various times in life he rather resembles some of the characters in the novel, I think. I can't wait to read it again!, 10 Oct 2008
Until my late teens I didn't much care for novels - school, frankly, could have offered better, plus there was just too much interesting non-fiction out there.
The novel that changed all that was Heller's Catch 22. Years later no other novel had gotten close, and it was safely occupying its unique position as my "greatest novel of all time".
That is until Mr Bulgakhov was brought to my attention! A Russian friend would just not stop going on about it.
I can't claim to have been wowed by every literary flourish here (I'm not a mature enough reader to see them!), and I certainly didn't spot the most subtle digs at the communist Russia Bulgakhov inhabited, but I certianly was gripped from beggining to end.
This is a very funny, very clever, well constructed and well written book that I can't wait to read again soon. I would strongly urge..........., 26 Jun 2008
........potential readers to avoid and ignore the review below entitled 'What is so great about this book really?' and instead read the review 'Caution: Hypnotists in Moscow!' by A. L. Stannard. This book is quite simply a masterpiece!
What is so great about this book really?, 20 Apr 2008
Oh dear - everyone else seems to rave about this book, but I found it very difficult to read and have just decided to give up on it two thirds of the way through. Yes, there are some funny and disturbing scenes that kept me reading through those bits, but the beginning of the second part has killed off my waning interest. There are far better satires about Soviet life and it shouldn't need devils and witches to bring it off. Woof!, 25 Jun 2008
We had Behemoth the cat in "The Master And Magarita". Now it's Sharik the dog. Sharik the hungry waif dog picked up by the brilliant scientist Preobrazhensky and fed until the fat canine starts to believe that he's entitled to the good life. But in life nothing is free. Once upon a day Sharik is drugged for a very unusual operation - the brilliant surgeon replaces the dog's genitals and pituitary glands with human ones. The dog survives the operation against all odds and then astonishingly starts to speak and behave human. Before you could say Jack Robinson rumours are flying all over Moscow and everyone wants in on the secret. The human-dog reads, attends the theatre, gets a job and is even made a citizen.
There won't be a story if that was the end of it. It wasn't and it's not long before the experiment goes horribly wonky. Preobrazhensky must now decide how to cure his monstrous construct. The story is absurd of course but it is so off the wall funny you can't put it down. When a story begins in the first person spoken by a dog with guile and a salacious sense of humour then one's fate is sealed - the book must be read.
It is well known that Bulgakov's tale is an indictment against Bolshevism. Written in 1925 the story of how a brilliant Lenin created a monster out of the proletariat was not the sort of reading material suitable for comrades. History and hindsight may now show us clearly the fault lines of Leninism but it was clear to some others within 10 years of the revolution as demonstrated by Preobrazhensky's rather incautious musings. Another 10 years and Stalin would have made mince meat of this rather proud and rash gentleman.
It is irrelevant if you have no interest in Russia or its history. This book stands on its own three feet. Outstanding. Excellent!, 11 Jun 2008
As a Russian native speaker I was a bit suspicious about this genius piece being translated into English. However, as soon as I started reading I couldn't stop! Savouring every page of it and passed this book on to my English friends. Although some of the things described by the author would be a bit confusing to someone who never lived in Russia or has limited or little knowledge of its history and culture. A must read for everyone who has interest in Russia or that period in history in particular. An Absurd Masterpiece, 20 Jan 2006
Completed by Bulgakov in 1925, this short story remained unpublished in the Soviet Union for almost sixty years. When it finally appeared on Soviet bookshelves in 1987 it became an instant hit and is arguably seen as on of the author’s most hard-hitting novels. Not for nothing did Stalin’s censors deem this book too sensitive for publication. ‘The Heart of a Dog’ is the absurd story of a stray dog, who is taken in from the streets by a well-known, well-off Professor named Philip Philipovich Preobrazhensky in order that he may attempt a groundbreaking operation; the transplantation of human testicles and pituitary gland into the dog. The operation is successful; however the Professor has produced an intolerable being which resembles a human of revolutionary sentiment with a dog-like penchant for chasing cats. The story is enjoyable in and of itself, and one must congratulate Bulgakov for his imagination and inventiveness – forced upon him by the oppressive intellectual climate of his time - in thinking up such a tale. In addition, It is very easy to read and interesting for its portrayal of the atmosphere in a bourgeois household in 1920s Moscow. There are also a number of other levels to the book and various interpretations of what Bulgakov’s true message was. It is worth noting, for example, that Professor Preobrazhensky’s name is a derivative of the Slavic word for ‘transfiguration’, and the book is ostensibly about failed attempts to improve upon human nature. Thus, Bulgakov may be seen to be either ridiculing Soviet attempts to create communist supermen or attacking science’s interference with nature. Finally, another interpretation of the story sees it as a parable of the 1917 Revolution in which things were set into motion which became almost uncontrollable. ‘The Heart of a Dog’ is a classic story of great intellectual value, which deserves to be read and which is immensely enjoyable for its absurdity, humour, and political message(s).
Open to many interpretations ..., 15 Sep 2004
Mikhail Bulgakov (1891-1940) endured the difficult experience of having to live under the pressure of censorship, but has nonetheless left some interesting books that allow us to know what he thought about the process that has taking place in the newborn Soviet Russia. "Heart of a dog" is one of those books. It was written by Bulgakov in 1925, but it wasn`t published in Soviet Russia until 1987, due to the fact that it can easily be interpreted as a critical satire regarding the URSS. "Heart of a dog" is the story of a stray dog, Sharik, that hasn`t led an easy life. He lives in the streets of Moscow, and eats what he can, when he can. However, one day a doctor gives him food and takes him to his home. Sharik believes that his fate has changed, but he doesn`t know that the doctor has rather strange intentions... The doctor wants to perform an experiment on Sharik, in order to learn what would happen if some human organs were transplanted to a dog. The doctor performs the operation, implanting in Sharik the pituitary gland and the testicles of a dead criminal. Against all odds, Sharik survives the operation, and from that moment on begins an extraordinary transformation, that makes him more and more human. But what kind of human is he?. Sharik can talk, and asks everybody to call him first "Mr. Sharikov", and afterwards "Polygraph Polygraphovich Sharikov". He also walks like a human being, and somehow resembles one... But can he think, or does he merely repeat what he hears, specially Marx`s teachings?. Has the doctor`s experiment ruined a perfectly good dog, making him a perfectly despicable "human" being that threatens to denounce counterrevolutionaries and chases cats?. I don`t want to tell you more about this book: you really should read it yourself. It isn`t long, but it is quite interesting. What is more important, it is open to many interpretations, and you can always find your own. Some people believe that for Bulgakov Sharik represented the failure of those who try to create new beings (exactly what was supposedly being done at that time in the URSS, with the "soviet man"). Others highlight the glimpses of Soviet society that "Heart of a dog" allows us to have, and think that the aim of the author was to give the reader at least an idea of what it was like to live in the URSS at that time... These few possible interpretations don't exclude others, so read this book and find them!!. Obviously, I highly recommend "Heart of a dog"... Belen Alcat
lovely, 15 Nov 2003
For me, this book is his best. It has the playfullness, the surrealism and hilarity of his other stuff aswell as the vertiginous layers of satire reminiscent of early Swift coupled with the magical bizarre imagery of Lewis Carrol. It is also ingeniously structured- something like a work of art- although it always feels like it has complete freedom. A vague understanding of the Russian Revolution and what happened after is perhaps necessary- although the book goes deeper than the modern conception of satire, and well, give it a shot.
Different!, 10 Nov 2008
I am reading modern Russian authors at the moment and if this is anything to go buy then I am in for a big treat! What a strange tale. I can see why it was banned in Russia during Stalin's time although it could hardly be heralded as subversive - much too subtle.
Surreal soviet-era fantasy, 30 Oct 2008
Very strange book. I ought to have hated it more - the politics, in so far as there are any, are unpleasant - the book begins with a confrontation between Satan and soviet apparatchik, with the former admonishing the latter for not believing in either him or Jesus as a historical figure, and the apparatchik then meeting a horrible death exactly as foretold by the Devil. Nasty stupid stuff.
And yet the writing is really very good, and the touch light, and narrative flow intriguing. I ended up finishing this despite myself, and despite having something else that I wanted to get on to.
Stalin liked Bulgakov's work and protected him, despite the writer's anti-soviet attitudes and philosophy. After reading this, I can understand why, thought I never thought of JV as having much of a sense of humour.
An afterthought: after reading the book have a look at the pictures of Bulgakov on the Wikipedia page about him -- at various times in life he rather resembles some of the characters in the novel, I think.
I can't wait to read it again!, 10 Oct 2008
Until my late teens I didn't much care for novels - school, frankly, could have offered better, plus there was just too much interesting non-fiction out there.
The novel that changed all that was Heller's Catch 22. Years later no other novel had gotten close, and it was safely occupying its unique position as my "greatest novel of all time".
That is until Mr Bulgakhov was brought to my attention! A Russian friend would just not stop going on about it.
I can't claim to have been wowed by every literary flourish here (I'm not a mature enough reader to see them!), and I certainly didn't spot the most subtle digs at the communist Russia Bulgakhov inhabited, but I certianly was gripped from beggining to end.
This is a very funny, very clever, well constructed and well written book that I can't wait to read again soon.
I would strongly urge..........., 26 Jun 2008
........potential readers to avoid and ignore the review below entitled 'What is so great about this book really?' and instead read the review 'Caution: Hypnotists in Moscow!' by A. L. Stannard. This book is quite simply a masterpiece!
What is so great about this book really?, 20 Apr 2008
Oh dear - everyone else seems to rave about this book, but I found it very difficult to read and have just decided to give up on it two thirds of the way through. Yes, there are some funny and disturbing scenes that kept me reading through those bits, but the beginning of the second part has killed off my waning interest. There are far better satires about Soviet life and it shouldn't need devils and witches to bring it off.
Bulgakov the genius does it again, 13 Jul 2008
This is Bulgakov's own personal journey as a doctor recently graduated and sent to the countryside to practice. This is something that is still common in a number of developing countries and is used both to even up the social balance of city and country and also to provide medical care to those who otherwise would have to do without.
Bulgakov is dispatched and displays all the idealism of a young doctor mixed with the pessimism's of a man who is being sent far from home and the comforts of the city to a place that may as well be a foreign country.
Bulgakov in his usual quiet way exposes the ignorance of the common people and often the incompetence of his own skill. The stories he retells here are both moving and touching, peasants who when given medicine apply it to their outer clothing rather than the skin, a hospital staff who medical skill leaves a lot to be desired.
Bulgakov is humorous as usual and while providing the reader with a book that judging by the cover may be slow and tedious is in fact fast paced, and will leave the reader laughing at times and in disbelief in others.
A wonderful book that should be read.
Superb writing! Superb translation!, 10 Jan 2004
I stumbled upon this book by chance when I was browsing the "bargain books" in the one and only English bookstore in Strasbourg. The book is about a young Russian doctor's 1st year as a country doctor in the Northwest part of Russia. It is a collection of many short stories. The writing reflects the author's ability as a play writer - good use of "visual" and "audio" effects such as the description of the weather (which seems to be constantly in a winter blizzard and in the dark) as well as the "tightness" of the writing. The author did not throw out ineffective big words/long sentences to describe the state of mind of the main character in the book, but let the short stories tell the story of the changes which took place inside the young doctor. I could not stop reading until I finished. Advice: do not start reading this book on Sunday evening...
A superb literary work., 14 Jun 2001
This part autobiography, part fictional book is a collection of stories from Bulgakov's experiences as a young, inexperienced doctor in pre-revolution rural Russia. As a new graduate, often still mistaken for a younger boy, Bulgakov conveys his neurotic state with a mixture of images and schizophrenic dialogue with himself. It is so difficult to understand the isolation he feels, to imagine being "32 miles from the nearest electric light." and being responsible for the lives of so many people who flood through his doors. A great deal of the narrative takes place during dark nights, howling winds and blizzards. Its purpose is multifarious; it makes the whole setting more dramatic and allows the hospital to be a prick of light surrounded be darkness, a ray of hope for all around. I feel it also intensifies the isolation. The stresses and strains of such a predicament can take their toll on such a green professional can clearly be seen in the tale named "Morphine". I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would firmly recommend it to anyone. I read "A Country Doctor's Notebook" while looking for a book to write an essay on and this was the eventual winner, beating books of all genres - from Banks to Balzac. I can think of no higher praise.
Different!, 10 Nov 2008
I am reading modern Russian authors at the moment and if this is anything to go buy then I am in for a big treat! What a strange tale. I can see why it was banned in Russia during Stalin's time although it could hardly be heralded as subversive - much too subtle.
Surreal soviet-era fantasy, 30 Oct 2008
Very strange book. I ought to have hated it more - the politics, in so far as there are any, are unpleasant - the book begins with a confrontation between Satan and soviet apparatchik, with the former admonishing the latter for not believing in either him or Jesus as a historical figure, and the apparatchik then meeting a horrible death exactly as foretold by the Devil. Nasty stupid stuff.
And yet the writing is really very good, and the touch light, and narrative flow intriguing. I ended up finishing this despite myself, and despite having something else that I wanted to get on to.
Stalin liked Bulgakov's work and protected him, despite the writer's anti-soviet attitudes and philosophy. After reading this, I can understand why, thought I never thought of JV as having much of a sense of humour.
An afterthought: after reading the book have a look at the pictures of Bulgakov on the Wikipedia page about him -- at various times in life he rather resembles some of the characters in the novel, I think.
I can't wait to read it again!, 10 Oct 2008
Until my late teens I didn't much care for novels - school, frankly, could have offered better, plus there was just too much interesting non-fiction out there.
The novel that changed all that was Heller's Catch 22. Years later no other novel had gotten close, and it was safely occupying its unique position as my "greatest novel of all time".
That is until Mr Bulgakhov was brought to my attention! A Russian friend would just not stop going on about it.
I can't claim to have been wowed by every literary flourish here (I'm not a mature enough reader to see them!), and I certainly didn't spot the most subtle digs at the communist Russia Bulgakhov inhabited, but I certianly was gripped from beggining to end.
This is a very funny, very clever, well constructed and well written book that I can't wait to read again soon.
I would strongly urge..........., 26 Jun 2008
........potential readers to avoid and ignore the review below entitled 'What is so great about this book really?' and instead read the review 'Caution: Hypnotists in Moscow!' by A. L. Stannard. This book is quite simply a masterpiece!
What is so great about this book really?, 20 Apr 2008
Oh dear - everyone else seems to rave about this book, but I found it very difficult to read and have just decided to give up on it two thirds of the way through. Yes, there are some funny and disturbing scenes that kept me reading through those bits, but the beginning of the second part has killed off my waning interest. There are far better satires about Soviet life and it shouldn't need devils and witches to bring it off.
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Customer Reviews
Different!, 10 Nov 2008
I am reading modern Russian authors at the moment and if this is anything to go buy then I am in for a big treat! What a strange tale. I can see why it was banned in Russia during Stalin's time although it could hardly be heralded as subversive - much too subtle.
Surreal soviet-era fantasy, 30 Oct 2008
Very strange book. I ought to have hated it more - the politics, in so far as there are any, are unpleasant - the book begins with a confrontation between Satan and soviet apparatchik, with the former admonishing the latter for not believing in either him or Jesus as a historical figure, and the apparatchik then meeting a horrible death exactly as foretold by the Devil. Nasty stupid stuff.
And yet the writing is really very good, and the touch light, and narrative flow intriguing. I ended up finishing this despite myself, and despite having something else that I wanted to get on to.
Stalin liked Bulgakov's work and protected him, despite the writer's anti-soviet attitudes and philosophy. After reading this, I can understand why, thought I never thought of JV as having much of a sense of humour.
An afterthought: after reading the book have a look at the pictures of Bulgakov on the Wikipedia page about him -- at various times in life he rather resembles some of the characters in the novel, I think. I can't wait to read it again!, 10 Oct 2008
Until my late teens I didn't much care for novels - school, frankly, could have offered better, plus there was just too much interesting non-fiction out there.
The novel that changed all that was Heller's Catch 22. Years later no other novel had gotten close, and it was safely occupying its unique position as my "greatest novel of all time".
That is until Mr Bulgakhov was brought to my attention! A Russian friend would just not stop going on about it.
I can't claim to have been wowed by every literary flourish here (I'm not a mature enough reader to see them!), and I certainly didn't spot the most subtle digs at the communist Russia Bulgakhov inhabited, but I certianly was gripped from beggining to end.
This is a very funny, very clever, well constructed and well written book that I can't wait to read again soon. I would strongly urge..........., 26 Jun 2008
........potential readers to avoid and ignore the review below entitled 'What is so great about this book really?' and instead read the review 'Caution: Hypnotists in Moscow!' by A. L. Stannard. This book is quite simply a masterpiece!
What is so great about this book really?, 20 Apr 2008
Oh dear - everyone else seems to rave about this book, but I found it very difficult to read and have just decided to give up on it two thirds of the way through. Yes, there are some funny and disturbing scenes that kept me reading through those bits, but the beginning of the second part has killed off my waning interest. There are far better satires about Soviet life and it shouldn't need devils and witches to bring it off. Woof!, 25 Jun 2008
We had Behemoth the cat in "The Master And Magarita". Now it's Sharik the dog. Sharik the hungry waif dog picked up by the brilliant scientist Preobrazhensky and fed until the fat canine starts to believe that he's entitled to the good life. But in life nothing is free. Once upon a day Sharik is drugged for a very unusual operation - the brilliant surgeon replaces the dog's genitals and pituitary glands with human ones. The dog survives the operation against all odds and then astonishingly starts to speak and behave human. Before you could say Jack Robinson rumours are flying all over Moscow and everyone wants in on the secret. The human-dog reads, attends the theatre, gets a job and is even made a citizen.
There won't be a story if that was the end of it. It wasn't and it's not long before the experiment goes horribly wonky. Preobrazhensky must now decide how to cure his monstrous construct. The story is absurd of course but it is so off the wall funny you can't put it down. When a story begins in the first person spoken by a dog with guile and a salacious sense of humour then one's fate is sealed - the book must be read.
It is well known that Bulgakov's tale is an indictment against Bolshevism. Written in 1925 the story of how a brilliant Lenin created a monster out of the proletariat was not the sort of reading material suitable for comrades. History and hindsight may now show us clearly the fault lines of Leninism but it was clear to some others within 10 years of the revolution as demonstrated by Preobrazhensky's rather incautious musings. Another 10 years and Stalin would have made mince meat of this rather proud and rash gentleman.
It is irrelevant if you have no interest in Russia or its history. This book stands on its own three feet. Outstanding. Excellent!, 11 Jun 2008
As a Russian native speaker I was a bit suspicious about this genius piece being translated into English. However, as soon as I started reading I couldn't stop! Savouring every page of it and passed this book on to my English friends. Although some of the things described by the author would be a bit confusing to someone who never lived in Russia or has limited or little knowledge of its history and culture. A must read for everyone who has interest in Russia or that period in history in particular. An Absurd Masterpiece, 20 Jan 2006
Completed by Bulgakov in 1925, this short story remained unpublished in the Soviet Union for almost sixty years. When it finally appeared on Soviet bookshelves in 1987 it became an instant hit and is arguably seen as on of the author’s most hard-hitting novels. Not for nothing did Stalin’s censors deem this book too sensitive for publication. ‘The Heart of a Dog’ is the absurd story of a stray dog, who is taken in from the streets by a well-known, well-off Professor named Philip Philipovich Preobrazhensky in order that he may attempt a groundbreaking operation; the transplantation of human testicles and pituitary gland into the dog. The operation is successful; however the Professor has produced an intolerable being which resembles a human of revolutionary sentiment with a dog-like penchant for chasing cats. The story is enjoyable in and of itself, and one must congratulate Bulgakov for his imagination and inventiveness – forced upon him by the oppressive intellectual climate of his time - in thinking up such a tale. In addition, It is very easy to read and interesting for its portrayal of the atmosphere in a bourgeois household in 1920s Moscow. There are also a number of other levels to the book and various interpretations of what Bulgakov’s true message was. It is worth noting, for example, that Professor Preobrazhensky’s name is a derivative of the Slavic word for ‘transfiguration’, and the book is ostensibly about failed attempts to improve upon human nature. Thus, Bulgakov may be seen to be either ridiculing Soviet attempts to create communist supermen or attacking science’s interference with nature. Finally, another interpretation of the story sees it as a parable of the 1917 Revolution in which things were set into motion which became almost uncontrollable. ‘The Heart of a Dog’ is a classic story of great intellectual value, which deserves to be read and which is immensely enjoyable for its absurdity, humour, and political message(s).
Open to many interpretations ..., 15 Sep 2004
Mikhail Bulgakov (1891-1940) endured the difficult experience of having to live under the pressure of censorship, but has nonetheless left some interesting books that allow us to know what he thought about the process that has taking place in the newborn Soviet Russia. "Heart of a dog" is one of those books. It was written by Bulgakov in 1925, but it wasn`t published in Soviet Russia until 1987, due to the fact that it can easily be interpreted as a critical satire regarding the URSS. "Heart of a dog" is the story of a stray dog, Sharik, that hasn`t led an easy life. He lives in the streets of Moscow, and eats what he can, when he can. However, one day a doctor gives him food and takes him to his home. Sharik believes that his fate has changed, but he doesn`t know that the doctor has rather strange intentions... The doctor wants to perform an experiment on Sharik, in order to learn what would happen if some human organs were transplanted to a dog. The doctor performs the operation, implanting in Sharik the pituitary gland and the testicles of a dead criminal. Against all odds, Sharik survives the operation, and from that moment on begins an extraordinary transformation, that makes him more and more human. But what kind of human is he?. Sharik can talk, and asks everybody to call him first "Mr. Sharikov", and afterwards "Polygraph Polygraphovich Sharikov". He also walks like a human being, and somehow resembles one... But can he think, or does he merely repeat what he hears, specially Marx`s teachings?. Has the doctor`s experiment ruined a perfectly good dog, making him a perfectly despicable "human" being that threatens to denounce counterrevolutionaries and chases cats?. I don`t want to tell you more about this book: you really should read it yourself. It isn`t long, but it is quite interesting. What is more important, it is open to many interpretations, and you can always find your own. Some people believe that for Bulgakov Sharik represented the failure of those who try to create new beings (exactly what was supposedly being done at that time in the URSS, with the "soviet man"). Others highlight the glimpses of Soviet society that "Heart of a dog" allows us to have, and think that the aim of the author was to give the reader at least an idea of what it was like to live in the URSS at that time... These few possible interpretations don't exclude others, so read this book and find them!!. Obviously, I highly recommend "Heart of a dog"... Belen Alcat
lovely, 15 Nov 2003
For me, this book is his best. It has the playfullness, the surrealism and hilarity of his other stuff aswell as the vertiginous layers of satire reminiscent of early Swift coupled with the magical bizarre imagery of Lewis Carrol. It is also ingeniously structured- something like a work of art- although it always feels like it has complete freedom. A vague understanding of the Russian Revolution and what happened after is perhaps necessary- although the book goes deeper than the modern conception of satire, and well, give it a shot.
Different!, 10 Nov 2008
I am reading modern Russian authors at the moment and if this is anything to go buy then I am in for a big treat! What a strange tale. I can see why it was banned in Russia during Stalin's time although it could hardly be heralded as subversive - much too subtle.
Surreal soviet-era fantasy, 30 Oct 2008
Very strange book. I ought to have hated it more - the politics, in so far as there are any, are unpleasant - the book begins with a confrontation between Satan and soviet apparatchik, with the former admonishing the latter for not believing in either him or Jesus as a historical figure, and the apparatchik then meeting a horrible death exactly as foretold by the Devil. Nasty stupid stuff.
And yet the writing is really very good, and the touch light, and narrative flow intriguing. I ended up finishing this despite myself, and despite having something else that I wanted to get on to.
Stalin liked Bulgakov's work and protected him, despite the writer's anti-soviet attitudes and philosophy. After reading this, I can understand why, thought I never thought of JV as having much of a sense of humour.
An afterthought: after reading the book have a look at the pictures of Bulgakov on the Wikipedia page about him -- at various times in life he rather resembles some of the characters in the novel, I think.
I can't wait to read it again!, 10 Oct 2008
Until my late teens I didn't much care for novels - school, frankly, could have offered better, plus there was just too much interesting non-fiction out there.
The novel that changed all that was Heller's Catch 22. Years later no other novel had gotten close, and it was safely occupying its unique position as my "greatest novel of all time".
That is until Mr Bulgakhov was brought to my attention! A Russian friend would just not stop going on about it.
I can't claim to have been wowed by every literary flourish here (I'm not a mature enough reader to see them!), and I certainly didn't spot the most subtle digs at the communist Russia Bulgakhov inhabited, but I certianly was gripped from beggining to end.
This is a very funny, very clever, well constructed and well written book that I can't wait to read again soon.
I would strongly urge..........., 26 Jun 2008
........potential readers to avoid and ignore the review below entitled 'What is so great about this book really?' and instead read the review 'Caution: Hypnotists in Moscow!' by A. L. Stannard. This book is quite simply a masterpiece!
What is so great about this book really?, 20 Apr 2008
Oh dear - everyone else seems to rave about this book, but I found it very difficult to read and have just decided to give up on it two thirds of the way through. Yes, there are some funny and disturbing scenes that kept me reading through those bits, but the beginning of the second part has killed off my waning interest. There are far better satires about Soviet life and it shouldn't need devils and witches to bring it off.
Bulgakov the genius does it again, 13 Jul 2008
This is Bulgakov's own personal journey as a doctor recently graduated and sent to the countryside to practice. This is something that is still common in a number of developing countries and is used both to even up the social balance of city and country and also to provide medical care to those who otherwise would have to do without.
Bulgakov is dispatched and displays all the idealism of a young doctor mixed with the pessimism's of a man who is being sent far from home and the comforts of the city to a place that may as well be a foreign country.
Bulgakov in his usual quiet way exposes the ignorance of the common people and often the incompetence of his own skill. The stories he retells here are both moving and touching, peasants who when given medicine apply it to their outer clothing rather than the skin, a hospital staff who medical skill leaves a lot to be desired.
Bulgakov is humorous as usual and while providing the reader with a book that judging by the cover may be slow and tedious is in fact fast paced, and will leave the reader laughing at times and in disbelief in others.
A wonderful book that should be read.
Superb writing! Superb translation!, 10 Jan 2004
I stumbled upon this book by chance when I was browsing the "bargain books" in the one and only English bookstore in Strasbourg. The book is about a young Russian doctor's 1st year as a country doctor in the Northwest part of Russia. It is a collection of many short stories. The writing reflects the author's ability as a play writer - good use of "visual" and "audio" effects such as the description of the weather (which seems to be constantly in a winter blizzard and in the dark) as well as the "tightness" of the writing. The author did not throw out ineffective big words/long sentences to describe the state of mind of the main character in the book, but let the short stories tell the story of the changes which took place inside the young doctor. I could not stop reading until I finished. Advice: do not start reading this book on Sunday evening...
A superb literary work., 14 Jun 2001
This part autobiography, part fictional book is a collection of stories from Bulgakov's experiences as a young, inexperienced doctor in pre-revolution rural Russia. As a new graduate, often still mistaken for a younger boy, Bulgakov conveys his neurotic state with a mixture of images and schizophrenic dialogue with himself. It is so difficult to understand the isolation he feels, to imagine being "32 miles from the nearest electric light." and being responsible for the lives of so many people who flood through his doors. A great deal of the narrative takes place during dark nights, howling winds and blizzards. Its purpose is multifarious; it makes the whole setting more dramatic and allows the hospital to be a prick of light surrounded be darkness, a ray of hope for all around. I feel it also intensifies the isolation. The stresses and strains of such a predicament can take their toll on such a green professional can clearly be seen in the tale named "Morphine". I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would firmly recommend it to anyone. I read "A Country Doctor's Notebook" while looking for a book to write an essay on and this was the eventual winner, beating books of all genres - from Banks to Balzac. I can think of no higher praise.
Different!, 10 Nov 2008
I am reading modern Russian authors at the moment and if this is anything to go buy then I am in for a big treat! What a strange tale. I can see why it was banned in Russia during Stalin's time although it could hardly be heralded as subversive - much too subtle.
Surreal soviet-era fantasy, 30 Oct 2008
Very strange book. I ought to have hated it more - the politics, in so far as there are any, are unpleasant - the book begins with a confrontation between Satan and soviet apparatchik, with the former admonishing the latter for not believing in either him or Jesus as a historical figure, and the apparatchik then meeting a horrible death exactly as foretold by the Devil. Nasty stupid stuff.
And yet the writing is really very good, and the touch light, and narrative flow intriguing. I ended up finishing this despite myself, and despite having something else that I wanted to get on to.
Stalin liked Bulgakov's work and protected him, despite the writer's anti-soviet attitudes and philosophy. After reading this, I can understand why, thought I never thought of JV as having much of a sense of humour.
An afterthought: after reading the book have a look at the pictures of Bulgakov on the Wikipedia page about him -- at various times in life he rather resembles some of the characters in the novel, I think.
I can't wait to read it again!, 10 Oct 2008
Until my late teens I didn't much care for novels - school, frankly, could have offered better, plus there was just too much interesting non-fiction out there.
The novel that changed all that was Heller's Catch 22. Years later no other novel had gotten close, and it was safely occupying its unique position as my "greatest novel of all time".
That is until Mr Bulgakhov was brought to my attention! A Russian friend would just not stop going on about it.
I can't claim to have been wowed by every literary flourish here (I'm not a mature enough reader to see them!), and I certainly didn't spot the most subtle digs at the communist Russia Bulgakhov inhabited, but I certianly was gripped from beggining to end.
This is a very funny, very clever, well constructed and well written book that I can't wait to read again soon.
I would strongly urge..........., 26 Jun 2008
........potential readers to avoid and ignore the review below entitled 'What is so great about this book really?' and instead read the review 'Caution: Hypnotists in Moscow!' by A. L. Stannard. This book is quite simply a masterpiece!
What is so great about this book really?, 20 Apr 2008
Oh dear - everyone else seems to rave about this book, but I found it very difficult to read and have just decided to give up on it two thirds of the way through. Yes, there are some funny and disturbing scenes that kept me reading through those bits, but the beginning of the second part has killed off my waning interest. There are far better satires about Soviet life and it shouldn't need devils and witches to bring it off.
Poetry In War, 17 Aug 2008
There are two ways to read this book: as a commentary on the carnival that is war and/or as poetry in verse. War is ridiculous and the ribald jingoism that goes with it is acutely captured in the hopes and fears and heroism of the Turbins. Hopes that predictably turn to ashes as once again our so called leaders are shown up to be (as almost always) just human and nothing but empty puff. On the other hand one can take the book as beautiful poetry set in verse because it is delivered with a style and bounce that exudes sheer class. I was clutching the folds of my pants - such was the vividness of the writing. Even the epilogue (background stuff) written by Nekrasov is captivating. I loved it all from the beginning right to the very end.
Anarchy in the Ukraine: A beautiful depiction of the imbecility of war and its messy aftermath , 30 Mar 2008
I am one of those people who believe that the greatest novels have already been written. I also believe that they were written by Russians. Following on from the towering edifices of Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky et al in the nineteenth century Mikhail Bulgakov (along with Mikhail Sholokov) was a worthy successor. This, his first work (originally recast into a play), tells the story of how the tumult of WWI/Revolution/Civil War impacted upon the unfortunate citizens of Kiev (then within the Russian Empire) as the city dissolves into a morass of confusion, turmoil and fear. White Guard royalists, Bolsheviks, Ukrainian nationalists, Cossacks, the rump German army, Poles, and even Senegalese troops, fight it out with nobody having the least notion of what is happening or even why. Commands and counter-commands, retreats, advances, rumours, counter-rumours, flight, corpses, chaos...
Whereas Tolstoy had sought to unravel the meaning and causes of war and Andreyev to describe graphically the horror, Bulgakov depicts the imbecility, the sheer monumental stupidity of it all, and its messy aftermath. He does this with a rare sensitivity through the experiences of the young Turbin family, a family of Tsarist patriots who live in an apartment in central Kiev. Following the death of their mother, twenty-eight year old Alex, a doctor, is left as the eldest, with his married (and abandoned) sister Elena, teenage brother Nikolai and their maid Anyuta. As ever with Russian novels in this tradition, we see the world through the eyes of real, thinking, feeling people, an ordinary family, caught up in the turbulence and having to make life-changing decisions with minimal or no information on which to base those decisions, and deeply concerned about the consequences of their actions on both their family and their own notions of self-worth. Like War and Peace, this book is a deeply moving look at the way different individuals respond to life's challenges and emerge as greater or lesser people.
The true tragedy for the people of the Ukraine (from 1922 a republic of the Soviet Union) is that this period of upheaval was followed by far greater horrors: the purges, the famine, the gulag, the Great Patriotic War; human sacrifices and loss on a scale that no other European country save neighbouring Russia and Poland has ever comparably suffered. As for Bulgakov, well it was a few years yet before he was to produce his fantasy masterpiece, The Master and Margarita, but this is a genuine classic, too.
Excellent story of ordinary people at war, 08 Apr 2004
`The White Guard' follows the story of a few days in the lives of a Ukranian family (the Turbins) living in Kiev during the final days of Russia's participation in WWI and with the revolution impending. The city is braced for the attack of the communists, led by the infamous and demonic figure of Petlyuria , putting its faith in the German army and Ukranian Hetman Skoropodsky for protection. As the townsfolk organise themselves into resistance movements, it soon becomes clear that Skoropodsky and the Germans have decided to abandon the people of Kiev to their fate. The Turbins, along with many others, rush to the defence of Kiev, only to find that their resistance has crumbled into an embarrassing mess as the war is lost before a shot is fired in anger. The book focuses on the actions of the people of Kiev, and the Turbins in particular, as they resign themselves to losing the war.
This book was less fantastic than `The Master and Marguerita', though some wonderful demonic imagery creeps in every now and then. Its strength lies in the contrast it draws between the glorious ideals of war and its rather banal reality. When Petlyuria's men take Kiev the people pour onto the streets in celebration, despite the fact that they despise him, and despite the fact that many of the celebrating people have no idea who has won. In the midst of this surreality, a brutal execution takes place, a reminder of the horrors going on around them. The resistance is presented as being a righteous cause, but right is ultimately not enough as might prevails. The final scenes, in which the Turbins abandon their dreams of fighting for a free Ukraine and begin to resign themselves to life under the Soviets are heartbreaking, both for their sense of failure and their sense of futility.
This is one of the best books about ordinary people at war that I have read (though not as good as Skvorecky's `The Cowards'). The contrast between what we think war is and what it is actually like is brilliantly realised, and by the end of the book I really felt the Turbins' despair. The events being told are firmly rooted in history, albeit a history I was largely ignorant of, which made it an interesting read anyway, but Bulgakov's superb writing and easy style meant that this book was a pleasure to read.
A fine, modern, touching work from a brilliant author, 04 Feb 2004
Other than War and Peace, I can think of no better evocation of the random horror of war; like Tolstoy, Bulgakov doesn't allow us to draw easy conclusions in this, his first novel. The disjointed tapestry of a narrative is by turns anecdotal, fantastical (Satan swinging in the belfry is a wonderful image) and epic-heroic - and then just when you've settled in a comfortable reading pattern (as far as this is ever possible with Bulgakov) some terrible act of violence will shock you. It's not quite the finished article (see M&M), but the mixture of experimentation and classical realism is an engaging blend, making for a great read. I would heartily recommend this to any fan of modern fiction, and anyone who's wondering where to go after Master and Margarita.
1, 03 Jan 2002
This book is about people in an rapidly changing time. About their hopes and lyrical memories of the life they left far behind and fears for the future. The book is full of tender love inside the Turbin family and a sharp contrast with cruel reality.
The book shows the revolutions events from the opposite "white guards" side and was forbiden in USSR for a long time.
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Customer Reviews
Different!, 10 Nov 2008
I am reading modern Russian authors at the moment and if this is anything to go buy then I am in for a big treat! What a strange tale. I can see why it was banned in Russia during Stalin's time although it could hardly be heralded as subversive - much too subtle.
Surreal soviet-era fantasy, 30 Oct 2008
Very strange book. I ought to have hated it more - the politics, in so far as there are any, are unpleasant - the book begins with a confrontation between Satan and soviet apparatchik, with the former admonishing the latter for not believing in either him or Jesus as a historical figure, and the apparatchik then meeting a horrible death exactly as foretold by the Devil. Nasty stupid stuff.
And yet the writing is really very good, and the touch light, and narrative flow intriguing. I ended up finishing this despite myself, and despite having something else that I wanted to get on to.
Stalin liked Bulgakov's work and protected him, despite the writer's anti-soviet attitudes and philosophy. After reading this, I can understand why, thought I never thought of JV as having much of a sense of humour.
An afterthought: after reading the book have a look at the pictures of Bulgakov on the Wikipedia page about him -- at various times in life he rather resembles some of the characters in the novel, I think.
I can't wait to read it again!, 10 Oct 2008
Until my late teens I didn't much care for novels - school, frankly, could have offered better, plus there was just too much interesting non-fiction out there.
The novel that changed all that was Heller's Catch 22. Years later no other novel had gotten close, and it was safely occupying its unique position as my "greatest novel of all time".
That is until Mr Bulgakhov was brought to my attention! A Russian friend would just not stop going on about it.
I can't claim to have been wowed by every literary flourish here (I'm not a mature enough reader to see them!), and I certainly didn't spot the most subtle digs at the communist Russia Bulgakhov inhabited, but I certianly was gripped from beggining to end.
This is a very funny, very clever, well constructed and well written book that I can't wait to read again soon.
I would strongly urge..........., 26 Jun 2008
........potential readers to avoid and ignore the review below entitled 'What is so great about this book really?' and instead read the review 'Caution: Hypnotists in Moscow!' by A. L. Stannard. This book is quite simply a masterpiece!
What is so great about this book really?, 20 Apr 2008
Oh dear - everyone else seems to rave about this book, but I found it very difficult to read and have just decided to give up on it two thirds of the way through. Yes, there are some funny and disturbing scenes that kept me reading through those bits, but the beginning of the second part has killed off my waning interest. There are far better satires about Soviet life and it shouldn't need devils and witches to bring it off.
Woof!, 25 Jun 2008
We had Behemoth the cat in "The Master And Magarita". Now it's Sharik the dog. Sharik the hungry waif dog picked up by the brilliant scientist Preobrazhensky and fed until the fat canine starts to believe that he's entitled to the good life. But in life nothing is free. Once upon a day Sharik is drugged for a very unusual operation - the brilliant surgeon replaces the dog's genitals and pituitary glands with human ones. The dog survives the operation against all odds and then astonishingly starts to speak and behave human. Before you could say Jack Robinson rumours are flying all over Moscow and everyone wants in on the secret. The human-dog reads, attends the theatre, gets a job and is even made a citizen.
There won't be a story if that was the end of it. It wasn't and it's not long before the experiment goes horribly wonky. Preobrazhensky must now decide how to cure his monstrous construct. The story is absurd of course but it is so off the wall funny you can't put it down. When a story begins in the first person spoken by a dog wi | | |