Lev Tolstoy: How Much Land Does a Man Need?
“How Much Land Does a Man Need?” is a short story by Lev Tolstoy, published in April 1886 in the magazine Russkoe bogatstvo. The story follows Pajom, a Russian peasant who, dissatisfied with his possessions, embarks on an insatiable quest to acquire more land. The devil, always eager to take advantage of human desires, decides to grant his wish and give him all the land Pahom believes he needs. Considered by James Joyce to be the best short story ever written, in it Tolstoy examines the essence of greed and how it can blind individuals.