The Master and Margarita
Mikhail Bulgakov, translated by Michael Glenny
This weird and wonderful novel, rooted in rebellion against the regime, has influenced other writers the world over. The devil makes a personal appearance in Moscow accompanied by various demons, including a naked girl and a huge black cat. When he leaves, the asylums are full and the forces of law and order in disarray. Only the Master, a man devoted to truth, and Margarita, the woman he loves, can resist the devil’s onslaught.