The story “Notes on a Cuff” was written by Bulgakov for 2 years, from 1922 to 1923. The work is autobiographical and is dedicated to the complex relationship between the author and the Soviet regime. The publication of the Notes became a daunting task since no publisher could be found who was ready to publish them in full. Bulgakov’s desire to see the “Notes” published in one book never came true. This work was bought from him by the Berlin publishing house “Nakanune”, promising to release it in 1923, but did not release it at all. Bulgakov writes about this: “At first it worried and upset me very much, and then I became indifferent.” The full text of the work has not reached us, but only excerpts published in magazines in 1924 with significant cuts and heavily censored.

Thinking about “The Master and Margarita” by Malcolm Davies Cards on the table, I have read this masterpiece only in its English translation. I do have a copy of a Russian language film of the novel. The film meticulously follows the text with no space for the...