Bulgakov: A Dog's Heart

By: Mikhail Bulgakov

Narrated by: Roy McMillan

Length: 3 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

When a respected surgeon decides to transplant human body parts into a stray dog, he creates a monster - drunken, profligate, aggressive and selfish. It seems the worst aspects of the donor have been transplanted as well. As his previously well-regulated home descends into riotous chaos, the doctor realises he will have to try to reverse the operation; but the dog isn't so keen....

Wild, uproarious and deliriously comic, Bulgakov's short novel is at once a comment on the problems of 1920s Russia and a lasting satire on human nature.

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Public Domain (P)2010 Naxos Audiobooks

Very Neat

I just love finding books that are nearly 100 years old that are relevant to the 21st century. The writing it comical, yet all the characters are most serious in their own perspectives, which is one of the most amusing factors.

The historical facts behind this book were intriguing to read about. I looked it up on Wikipedia. Though it is not necessary to know about the author in order to enjoy the book.

Great Translation of the great Bulgakov

What was one of the most memorable moments of Bulgakov: A Dog's Heart?

My memorable moment in "A Dog' Heart" was that Bulgakov characterises the dying aristocratic epoch with its manners and traditions. Juxtaposed with the new brutal regime (well he did see bolshevism establish itself with the Civil War), i liked the when the protagonist Preobrazhenskiy says "you can't force people to do something [with violence], you can only suggest..."Another was his depiction of people as if he knew them heart and soul. A simple description of a young woman (that the dog follows down the street), ends in a description of her life, dreams and passions.... I liked the storytelling, stopping and zooming in on an aspect of a place or person, then zooming back out to continue the narrative. It is like having a cance to look through a window of a house in history and see and feel what is going on...

What does Roy McMillan bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I think the translationin the audio-version is excellent and the phrases sound as natural in English as they would have done in Russian. Roy's narration is clear and engaging.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Did it make me laugh or cry? Cry and laugh on the inside. Written in what 1924 or 1925, it was a insightful (or prophetic even) summary of the kinds of people we can become... and what happens when things are devolved to the common bottom denominator. The philosophical discussion for me was probably more vital than the actual medical possibilities (which weren't real then in the 1920's) of the future: transplants, cloning etc. (although that was interesting to see too).

Any additional comments?

Bulgakov is a master wordsmith as well as a great writer using symbolism, and inspiring hope against the odds. The creation of human characters, full of pathos, might have well been written today. I can see why it is enduring, however it is not light reading (i'd give some space for reading about the context, and reflecting on the ideas...). I really thought it was a superb piece of literature!

Wow

It was written by a Russian author but this book was. It's about a surgeon who is also a scientists. He has been replacing human organs with animal organs. He's decided to replace the brain of a dog, a kindly sweet mistreated dog, with the brain of an unknown Donor. He first removes the dog's penis and testicles and replaces them with the penis and testicle of the unknown donor, then he removes the dogs pituitary gland and replaces it with the unknown donors gland. What appears to be a quite successful operation in hindsight turns out to be a disaster. The dog begins to take on the mannerisms and habits of the unknown donor who was after research by the doctor found to have been a drunkard a Thief an all-around scoundrel who was murdered. The doctor/scientist has taken a sweet abused dog and turned him into ,well ,A human

Creepy… in the way I wanted it to be

After the synopsis, I was hoping for a story which got to my core and weirded me out, and this one did.

Bulgakov is remarkable

In the course of listening to both Master and Margarita and then A Dog's Heart, I have completely and utterly fallen in love with Bulkagov. A critic of Soviet society and a masterful story-teller, he is a joy to behold even as he conveys a society so utterly devoid of life and so bereft of misery. Do yourself a favor and give this a listen and The Master and Margarita, both available via Audible. They are a wondrous, ponderous, hilarious, and even heart-breaking things to behold.

A dog's spirit dies hard.

In Soviet Russia, dog's testicles lick you.

What happens when a Russian stray dog meets a early Soviet doctor? Testicles and pituitary glands get involved and a New Soviet man is made. Part Kafkaesque transformation story, part mockery of eugenics and early Soviet attempts at creating the ideal Russian man, Bulgakov's novella is not quite as brilliant as The Master and Margarita, but still it is a stunning example of underground Soviet literature. It is funny, absurd, dark, and worth an afternoon.

Animal Farm with Dogs

This is fundamentally a satire on Soviet Union when controlled by the communist regime. It's similar to the famous book Animal Farm because one of the main character is an animal, a talking dog. It's short (about 3 hours long) and I purchased on a Daily Deal for $1.95 so not too many complaints. The narration is slightly annoying with the "dog" voice sounding like one of those dog food commercials on TV where the dog talks in a panting voice Kibble, Kibble, Kibble yummy. Not sure I would pay full price for this.

fun little book

I had never heard of this author before, but seem to be on a Russian author kick lately, and decided to give it a listen. this is a fantastic book! Very funny, and the narrator did an excellent job.

Remind me of the Master and Margarita

Like the island of dr Monroe this is the Russian version of it magical and funny 😄

Much better to listen to

I'd read it before and didn't think it was great, but hearing it, the different voices and range of emotions. I laughed, I cried, it became a part of me.

"To the banks of the nyy-el."