The White Guard by Mikhail Bulgakov

Join us as we discuss The White Guard, Mikhail Bulgakov's remarkable first novel set in his beloved Kyiv during the tumultuous period of the Ukrainian War of Independence in 1918-19. The story follows the Turbin family—Alexei, Elena, and Nikolai—as they navigate the chaotic collapse of the old order and the violent struggle between Bolsheviks, Ukrainian nationalists, and the remnants of the White Army loyal to the Russian monarchy.

A good review of the work is at Pockets of resistance | Books | The Guardian.

As a group that focuses on Russian literature but also delves into other European works and is strongly pro-Ukraine, we will wrestle with a variety of questions as we consider its complex legacy and relevance to our own times.