Kiev-town: Bulgakov's Guide to Kyiv. Translated with Introduction by Emily Finer

This is the first English translation of a little known essay by Mikhail Bulgakov (“Kiev – gorod”) originally published 100 years ago, in 1923. At that time, the Kyiv he portrayed was grappling with the aftermath of war, drought, famine, and infectious disease, but the text also reveals Bulgakov’s casual racism and deep-seated aversion for Ukrainian culture. The translation by Emily Finer, a writer, translator and senior lecturer at the University of St Andrews, features extensive explanatory notes and an introduction that not only offers context but redirects attention toward the text’s contemporary ramifications.