Like another Dr. Frankenstein, Soviet scientist Philil Philipovich, with the help of his assistant, doctor Bormenthal, attempts a unique and bizarre operation of rejuvenation by transplanting the testicles and pituitary glands of a dead man accused of having being a drunkard and a thief into a stray dog he named Sharik. After the operation and the complications they encountered, they don't expect the dog to survive. However, Sharik not only survives, but he slowly but steadily develops human characteristics and soon becomes this creature with the heart desires of a dog, but with the appearance though ugly as it was of a human and a brain similar to the dead man's brain from whom the organs were transplanted to him.

Bulkagov's Heart of a Dog at just 122 pages is a satire, a critique of the Soviet government and ideology, a critique on eugenics, and maybe also a discussion on human nature. It is humorous, very bizarre, not overly complicated, a good, fast read, and I loved it! Nevertheless, I wouldn't say it is the best book I have read.

Heart of a Dog was written in 1925, but was banned by the Soviets, so it wasn't published in Russia in 1987. Europe read it earlier in 1960s through smuggled manuscripts. I think at the time it was written would be seen as much more caustic and horrific than might be seen today. For me, it probably fell a little short due to the abundance of these kinds of writings that we have experienced today, and probably because I have read part of Master and Margarita by Bulgakov (I intent to finish it) and the complexity and brilliance of Master and Margarita outshines this one. Either way, I enjoyed Heart of a Dog very much and I would recommend it as a start on Bulkagov's writing for something way much easier before Master and Margarita that I consider it to be the most difficult book I have ever encountered.