How Much Land Does a Man Need?
How Much Land Does a Man Need? is a short story written by Leo Tolstoy and first published in Russian in 1886.
Pakhom is a farmer who, although he is healthy and has a good family, is not happy with the amount of land he has. He manages to save and buy more and more land. However, it is never enough, and the more land he has, the more problems arise that keep making him unhappy.
He eventually travels to the land of the Bashkirs, who offer to sell him as much land as he can encircle on foot in a single day—provided he returns to his starting point before sunset...
The story is about greed and insatiable desire, and how they can lead a person to lose everything. Its concise structure turns Pakhom’s pursuit of land into a cautionary tale about the cost of never having enough.
This edition of the short story How Much Land Does a Man Need uses the 1906 English translation by Aylmer and Louise Maude.
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Public domain (US)·No sign-up·DRM-free·Real text, not scans
Copyright note. How Much Land Does a Man Need? by Leo Tolstoy is believed to be in the public domain in the United States only. It may still be copyrighted in other countries. If you are not in the United States, please check your local laws to ensure this eBook is in the public domain in your country before downloading How Much Land Does a Man Need? in PDF or EPUB.
- Pages
- 21
- Reading time
- 31 minutes
- Pace
- Intermediate
- First published
- 1886
- Language
- Russian
- Downloads
- 7,992
140 years later, still timely
Why Read How Much Land Does a Man Need? in 2026?
A farmer chases more acreage until the horizon answers back. Tolstoy’s parable is swift, sharp, and unforgettable about desire that forgets sufficiency.
Today's connection
Perfect for discussions on consumerism and contentment. The story’s clarity makes it classroom-ready and book-club potent. You will reconsider what “enough” might mean—today, not someday.
Enough versus more
Ambition untethered becomes loss; the line is visible here.
Space as temptation
Distance promises freedom—and sets the trap.
Moral clarity
A rare fable that lands without scolding.
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About the author
Leo Tolstoy
Epic realism with intimate ethics; the cadence of daily life turned into vision and care.
