Mikhail Bulgakov's "Heart of a Dog": A Classic Tale of Transformation

Richard Ballard: Mikhail Bulgakov is considered one of the Soviet Union's truly great writers. I have limited exposure to Soviet authors; I review the novel based on face value reading.

An injured dog dying in the Moscow winter curses the cruel uncaring proletariat who either bedevil him or ignore his plight. Then a bourgeois gentleman feeds the dog and encourages him to follow; the distinguished professor shares his seven-room warm apartment with a male physician, a female laboratory assistant and an older female housekeeper. The professor and physician clean and bandage the dog's wounds, feed him, and restore the dog's health; the dog (now named Sharik) relishes his bourgeois new life. Then the professor and physician operate on Sharik, substituting a freshly dead human criminal's pituitary and testes for the dog's pituitary and testes. Sharik barely survives the operation; he awakens but his body and mind are changing.

Sharik develops an upright posture, some hair regrows while other hair sheds giving Sharik a somewhat humanoid appearance, and Sharik begins to speak. As Sharik vocalizes the professor realizes that Sharik retains both dog and human criminal memories and attitudes,...

United States on Jul 16, 2023

Araceli Dominguez: Un libro muy interesante para los amantes de los perros

Mexico on Jul 15, 2023

paul lingas: A very entertaining book with deep social satyre

Canada on Oct 25, 2022

T. Burn: The novella is a must read in today’s world. A masterpiece you don’t want to miss.
This is one of the better translations into English. Quality of the print is just ok (could be much better). 5 stars to Bulgakov’s genius masterpiece. 3 stars to the publisher for profiting from the genius work but not caring to provide quality print. 4 stars to translator.
Now, a note to an average reader who doesn’t know Russian and is illiterate in Russian history and culture - do yourself a favor and first study at least history of the 19th-20th centuries Russia; learn why marxism and leninism destroyed that country and why communist ideology is wrong not only about history, anthropology, psychology, and economy but also corrupts human nature destroying any last spark of goodness in it. Then read and try to understand some Dostoevsky (Demons, Crime and Punishment) - Jordan Peterson’s reflections on Dostoevsky can be helpful - and only then carefully, slowly, and with open heart try to read Bulgakov.
I saw a few atrociously ignorant and arrogant reviews by native English speakers here - to those kind I say this: trust me, it’s not because Bulgakov failed, it’s because your...

United States on Jun 02, 2021

E. E. Smith: Bulgakov is a kind of unearthed god. He lived his life in misery, ticking off the years, crushed into the too-tight shoes of Bolshevism. 'Ok, I'm 30.. I haven't written anything of significance and I would like to emigrate.' They would not let him emigrate and would not allow his work to be published. By his 40th birthday he was saying the same thing. Some plays he was allowed to put on, but they were often pulled before opening night, He would then write to Stalin. Stalin would not write back, but he would then be appointed director of some theatre or theatrical arts committee. So many ups and downs. You must read his biography. A more unsatisfying life while he lived it, is unlikely to be found, but his writing is pure heaven. The oddest thing of all. His great novels; Heart of a Dog, Master and Margarita, all came to light long after his death, due to the relentless efforts of his third of fourth wife. Behind every man.. is a GREAT WOMAN!

United Kingdom on Mar 10, 2015

Andre: This is a fine translation of the book. My only complain is the quality of the font once it's printed on the page. Whether it's the paper or the font used, it could really be sharper. The size of the text is good for readability - it just feels like someone up-rezed the page from a smaller size thus resulting in a DPI quality drop.

Canada on Jan 21, 2015

David: It seems it could of gone on for much longer, but very rich in humour and style. A good start into the world of mikhail, I hope to enjoy some more of his books.

United Kingdom on Nov 16, 2014

Bel: 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...

United States on Aug 27, 2004