My Poor,Poor Master
Viktor Losev - Jan Vanhellemont
Viktor Ivanovich Losev (1939-2006) was undoubtedly one of the most experienced staff members of the Manuscript Department of the Russian State Library in Moscow. He devoted nearly two decades to the study of Mikhail Bulgakov's work, using material from the author's archive, which was housed in the Manuscript Department. He was the first to publish material from virtually all versions and drafts of Bulgakov's great novel, The Master and Margarita. Tragically, Viktor Ivanovich Losev died on July 4, 2006, a few months before the Russian edition of this book was published.
A significant portion of the original manuscripts was mutilated or destroyed by censorship or, as a reflex of self-preservation, by Bulgakov himself. Some of these were reassembled thanks to the painstaking work of Viktor Losev.
This collection of the surviving manuscripts of these eight versions of the novel allows you to see how characters disappear or change names, and how new ones enter. This provides exceptional insight into the evolution of life in the Soviet Union between 1928 and 1940, and its impact on the author's life and, by extension, Russian society as a whole. The commentaries by the compiler and translator offer helpful insights.
The English translation of My Poor, Poor Master by Viktor Ivanovich Losev will be published on May 1, 2026. It will be a paperback version and you can reserve your copy already now with a 20% discount.
Colophon
Original title: Moy bedni, bedni master
Original text: © Viktor Losev, 1933-1970
English translation: © Jan Vanhellemont, 2026
794 pages
First print: 1 June 2026
ISBN 978-9-081853-31-6
Order your copy
Paperback
Paperback, perfect-bound print 15,2 cm x 22,9 cm, 794 pages. The orders are processed by Lulu Press. Print-on-demand. The book will be sent 3 to 5 business days after your order. The shipping costs depend on the destination.
49.99 €
Members of the Mikhail Bulgakov Circle receive a code which they can use to benefit of an exceptional and surprising offer.
Other languages
This book also exists in a Dutch version.
Click on the arrow below for the Dutch version.
The French version will be published on 1 September 2026