What order should I read Mikhail Bulgakov's books in?

Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with The Master and Margarita.

What is Mikhail Bulgakov's most famous book?

The Master and Margarita (1928) is Mikhail Bulgakov's most widely read book.

Which Mikhail Bulgakov books have been adapted?

7 books have been adapted for film or TV, including The Fatal Eggs (film, 1995), The White Guard (TV), The Master and Margarita (as Pilate and Others, TV, 1972) and The Days of the Turbins (TV).

Mikhail Bulgakov books in order

Russian author

Lived: 1891–1940
Country: Russia
Books: 23

Mikhail Bulgakov published 7 novels, 4 novellas, 3 short story collections and 9 plays, beginning with The Fatal Eggs (1925). The best-known is The Master and Margarita (1928).

Updated September 2026

Where to start with Mikhail Bulgakov

Start here
The Master and Margarita
Mikhail Bulgakov's most-read book, rated by 99 Open Library readers.
Shortest way in
The Heart of a Dog
One of the most-read, at about 130 pages.

Standalone novels in order

The White Guard (1925)
319 pages★ 3.8 (6 ratings)Adapted for TV
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The Master and Margarita (1928)
439 pages★ 4.2 (99 ratings)Adapted for TV
Buy
Life of Monsieur De Molière (1962)
237 pages
Buy
Theatrical Novel (1965)
Buy
Black Snow (1966)
176 pages
Buy
A Country Doctor's Notebook (1975)
160 pages
Buy
Batum (1977)
Buy

Novellas in order

The Adventures of Chichikov (1922)
Buy
The Fatal Eggs (1925)
110 pagesAdapted for film
Buy
Dyavoliada (1987)
Buy
The Heart of a Dog (1987)
130 pages★ 3.7 (19 ratings)Adapted for film
Buy

Short story collections in order

Short Stories (1926)
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A Young Doctor's Notebook (1963)
Adapted for TV
Buy
Diaboliad, and Other Stories (1972)
236 pages
Buy

Plays in order

Crimson Island (Mar 1927)
Buy
Zoyka's Apartment (1929)
Buy
The Days of the Turbins (1955)
Adapted for TV
Buy
Flight (1962)
Buy
Half-Witted Jourdain (1965)
Buy
Ivan Vasilievich (1965)
145 pagesAdapted for film
Buy
Adam and Eve (1971)
Buy
The Early Plays of Mikhail Bulgakov (1972)
418 pages
Buy
Flight & Bliss (1985)
158 pages
Buy

Film and TV adaptations

The Fatal Eggs (1995)Film · from The Fatal Eggs
The White GuardTV · from The White Guard
Pilate and Others (1972)TV · from The Master and Margarita
The Master and Margarita (2006)Film · from The Master and Margarita
The Master and Margarita (2024)Film · from The Master and Margarita
The Master and MargaritaTV · from The Master and Margarita
The Days of the TurbinsTV · from The Days of the Turbins
A Young Doctor's NotebookTV · from A Young Doctor's Notebook
Ivan Vasilievich: Back to the Future (1973)Film · from Ivan Vasilievich
Cuore di cane (1976)Film · from The Heart of a Dog
Heart of a Dog (1988)TV · from The Heart of a Dog

About Mikhail Bulgakov

Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov was a Russian and Soviet novelist and playwright. His novel The Master and Margarita, published posthumously, has been called one of the masterpieces of the 20th century. He also wrote the novel The White Guard and the plays Ivan Vasilievich, Flight, and The Days of the Turbins.

Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

Mikhail Bulgakov FAQ

How many books has Mikhail Bulgakov written?: Mikhail Bulgakov published 7 novels, 4 novellas, 3 short story collections and 9 plays that we list, as of September 2026.
What order should I read Mikhail Bulgakov's books in?: Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with The Master and Margarita.
What is Mikhail Bulgakov's last book?: The Master and Margarita (1928).
What is Mikhail Bulgakov's most famous book?: The Master and Margarita (1928) is Mikhail Bulgakov's most widely read book.
Which Mikhail Bulgakov books have been adapted?: 7 books have been adapted for film or TV, including The Fatal Eggs (film, 1995), The White Guard (TV), The Master and Margarita (as Pilate and Others, TV, 1972) and The Days of the Turbins (TV).