Best Translations of Master & Marg and One Day?

[Gerald J. Sabo]

If I recall correctly, the Russian version with italics for deleted text was first published in 1969 by Posev publishers in Frankfurt am Main, then reprinted in 1971 and 1974.  I believe the Burgin-O'Connor was a "complete" translation that may have also drawn on post-1991 Russian published versions of M-M.  There may be commentary about this in that edition.  I have not yet seen the Karpelson version.  What is valuable in the Pevear-Volkonsky, Burgin-Connor, and probably Karpelson versions are especially the foot/endnotes for needed explanations as well as the quality of those translations of Bulgakov.  I am not aware that any of the three translations indicate in some way in the actual English text what had been originally deleted from the late sixties Russian publication on which the Ginsburg and Glenny translations were based.  
   I would be grateful for evaluation of the three most recent translations for future use.  Thanks--Jerry Sabo.

---- Original message ----
>Date: Sat, 2 Jun 2007 13:17:10 -0400
>From: colkitto <colkitto at ROGERS.COM>  
>Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] Best Translations of Master & Marg and One Day?  
>To: SEELANGS at BAMA.UA.EDU
>
>Regarding Master and Margarita, the first time I read it (this was rather a 
>long time ago, and the copy had been obtained under rather .. interesting 
>circumstances, and I was in the Soviet Union at the time, so I can't recall 
>the actual publisher, so please don't ask), I had access to a version which 
>showed all the material censored by the Soviets in italics, which added 
>interest to the work, if I may crave the indulgence of Bulgakov scholars.
>
>Some of the cuts were absolutely pointless, involving individual words, even 
>down to, e.g., "bol'soj" or "ocen"', although they included an entire 
>chapter (the one where Margarita flies around as a witch, I think).
>
>Do any SEELANZANE recognise this version, and if so, has it been translated, 
>and if the answer is yes, such a translation should certainly be included in 
>the course under discussion, as it would provide a nice example of Soviet 
>censorship.
>
>If this issue has already been covered by the Bulgakov translations listed, 
>please accept my apologies, I have no claim whatever to being any sort of 
>Bulgakov scholar.
>
>Robert Orr
>
>
>>I strongly prefer Max Hayward's translation of One Day.
>> Donna Seifer
>> -- 
>> seifer at lclark.edu
>>
>>
>>
>> On 6/2/07 8:14 AM, "Sara Stefani" <sara.stefani at YALE.EDU> wrote:
>>
>>> Dear All,
>>>
>>> I'll be teaching a class this fall on the Russian Novel, and I was 
>>> wondering
>>> if
>>> anyone out there had strong feelings about the best translation of Master 
>>> and
>>> Margarita? I've found five different options: translations by Michael 
>>> Glenny,
>>> Mirra Ginsburg, Diana Burgin, Pevear and Volokhonsky, and a new(ish)
>>> translation by Michael Karpelson. The only one I've read is the Glenny
>>> translation. My first impulse is to go with Pevear and Volokhonsky, but 
>>> first
>>> wanted to see if any of you have had experiences with any of these 
>>> versions?
>>>
>>> On that same note, any strong preferences for a translation of One Day in 
>>> the
>>> Life of Ivan Denisovich? The options I've found are by Ralph Parker, Max
>>> Hayward and Ronald Hingley, and the newest one by H. T. Willetts. The
>>> Willetts translation seems longer and more expensive, and I'm wondering
>>> whether it's really worth the extra money.
>>>
>>> Feel free to contact me on or off-line at sara.stefani at yale.edu/.
>>>
>>> Many thanks in advance!!
>>>
>>> Best,
>>> Sara
>>>
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