A ruthless pursuit of profit. A deadly winter storm. One final choice between self-preservation and sacrifice.
Vasili Andreevich Brekhunov is a prosperous merchant who measures life through possessions, influence, and financial gain. When an opportunity arises to purchase a valuable forest grove, he refuses to let worsening winter weather stand between him and the lucrative deal.
Accompanied by Nikita, his faithful and poorly compensated servant, Vasili sets out across the frozen Russian countryside. But as snow erases the road and a fierce blizzard closes around them, the travelers become hopelessly lost.
Stranded in the darkness with their horse weakening and the temperature falling, the differences between master and servant become increasingly stark. Nikita faces danger with patience and humility, while Vasili remains consumed by calculations of property, money, and his own survival.
Then, confronted with the certainty of death, Vasili experiences a profound awakening. The wealth and status that once defined him suddenly lose their meaning, and he discovers an unexpected connection to the man he has long treated as beneath him.
Haunting, suspenseful, and deeply compassionate, Master and Man is Leo Tolstoy’s powerful meditation on greed, mortality, human dignity, and the redemptive force of selfless love.
Narrated by Phil Thompson, this unforgettable Russian classic carries listeners into the heart of a merciless storm—and toward one man’s final transformation.
