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The Master and Margarita

by Mikhail Bulgakov · 1967

Mikhail Bulgakov's novel of the devil arriving in Soviet Moscow, named by Peter Thiel as a more intellectual favorite novel in Conversations with Tyler.

Recommended by 1 person

Why this author is included

Mikhail Bulgakov · Novelist and playwright

Who recommends it

1 person has recommended The Master and Margarita. Each entry links to the source.

Peter ThielCo-founder, PayPal and Palantir

If you want something a little more intellectual, it’s probably the Bulgakov novel The Master and Margarita.

Recommended · Exact quote Source: Conversations with Tyler

Evidence details

Peter Thiel on Stagnation, Innovation, and What Not To Name Your Company

Tyler Cowen asked Thiel for his favorite novel; after naming The Lord of the Rings, Thiel named Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita as the more intellectual answer.

The quote is taken word for word from the source.

Conversations with Tyler · episode transcript page accessed 2026-06-23 · accessed 2026-06-23

Transcript · Interview transcript

In the transcript, Cowen asks Thiel for his favorite novel and Thiel names Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita after The Lord of the Rings.

About the author

What the author has done, shown separately from who recommends the book.

Mikhail BulgakovNovelist and playwright

Author of The Master and Margarita.

The Master and Margarita

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About the author

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