The Billion Dollar Spy

Former Pulitzer Prize winner, David E. Hoffman, here undertakes to reveal the challenges and inner workings of the CIA in the Russian theatre during the Cold War. One of the their major successes, after numerous failed attempts to recruit and run spies, was Adolf Tolkachev, a Russian engineer, who, over more than a decade, brought out thousands of pages of research and development work being done by the Russians, saving the U. S. literally billions of dollars. Knowing from the outset that Tolkachev was eventually betrayed by a disgruntled CIA trainee does nothing to diminish the suspense of this historical narrative based on de-classified CIA materials. We are offered insights not only into the mind of Tolkachev, but also of several key players in Moscow station (CIA facilities housed in the U.S. Embassy) and in Washington, DC. The CIA operatives' worst enemy was ostensibly the ever-vigilant KGB, but sometimes was their own leadership. Fascinating reading for those interested in this era. Even though I missed the meeting because I was in Maine, I read this because it was the most recent selection of my other book group.There is a lengthy and favorable review of this book in the NYTimes.

The Master and the Margarita

Written by Russian dissident Mikhail Bulgakov in the final 12 years of his life, The Master and the Margarita was not published until 26 years after his death (in 1940). From 1930 on he was unable to publish at all in Russia although, strangely enough, he was allowed to produce others' plays as literary consultant to the Moscow Art Theatre. For a quick overview of his work and life, see the Wikipedia entry. The translation I read was by Mirra Ginsburg. I have to say this is not my favorite genre. Bulgakov is taking the atheist state on with a tale about the devil coming to Moscow and wreaking havoc with the lives of those who profess not to believe in either God or the devil. There are lots of plays on words, which are surely influenced strongly by the translation. There is a second story within the main one about the crucifixtion of Jesus. The devil was present and a contemporary author in Moscow, the Master, has written the story. The tale culminates with Satan's ball over which the Master's lover, Margarita, presides in the form of a beautiful witch. All the people the devil considers to have integrity (i.e., the Master and Margarita) get to go off to their own private paradise in the end. And the citizens of Moscow are left trying to make sense of the whole series of puzzling events that the devil whipped up while he and his entourage were in town. The hypocrites--again according to the devil's evaluation--all get their come-uppance.