title: How Much Land Does a Man Need? and Other Stories (Penguin Classics)
author:  Leo Tolstoy 
description: Text: English (translation)<br> Original Language: Russian
zlib_text: How Much land do 
  A MAN NEED? 
  and Other Stories 
  
  BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY 
  Copley Square 
  
  PENGUIN 
  HOW MUCH LAND DOES A MAN NEED? 
  count leo Nikolayevich tolstoy was born in 1828 on the family 
  estate of Yasnaya Polyana, in the Tula province, where he spent most of 
  his early years, together with his several brothers. In 1844 he entered the 
  University of Kazan to read Oriental Languages and later Law, but left 
  before completing a degree. The following years were spent largely in 
  the pursuit of life’s pleasures: wine, women and cards, until weary of his 
  idle existence he joined an artillery regiment in the Caucasus in 1852. In 
  the autumn of that year his first story, Childhood, was published, 
  bringing instant success. Sebastopol Sketches (1855-6) secured his position 
  in the literary world. After leaving the army in 1856 Tolstoy spent some 
  time mixing with the literati in St Petersburg before travelling abroad 
  and then settling at Yasnaya Polyana, where he involved himself in th