How Much Land Does a Man Need?

work by Tolstoy

Also known as: “Mnogo li cheloveku zemli nuzhno?”

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Last updated

June 29, 2026

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"How Much Land Does a Man Need?" is a moral tale written by Leo Tolstoy in 1885. The story, praised by James Joyce as the greatest in world literature, explores themes of greed and contentment. It follows a peasant named Pahom who believes he would be free from trouble if he had enough land. His desire for more land leads him on a journey where he encounters various situations, ultimately revealing that true contentment is not found in the accumulation of possessions. The story is considered a didactic work, intended to teach moral lessons to common people.1

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Leo Tolstoy
Fiction after 1880 of Leo Tolstoy
…zemli nuzhno” (written 1885; “How Much Land Does a Man Need”), a story that the Irish novelist James Joyce rather extravagantly praised as “the greatest story that the literature of the world knows.”
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…zemli nuzhno” (written 1885; “How Much Land Does a Man Need”), a story that the Irish novelist James Joyce rather extravagantly praised as “the greatest story that the literature of the world knows.”
Read More