Ishihara Shintaro is a man of an unusual fate. Born in 1932 in Kobe, he made a name for himself as a writer, receiving the prestigious Akutagawa Prize for his story “The Time of the Sun” (1955). But then he entered politics and succeeded, becoming a member of the Upper House of Parliament from the ruling party in 1968. Now he is the mayor of Tokyo. “The Salt of Life” is an atypical work for traditional Japanese literature. The main character of the book is not so much a “man experiencing” as a “man doing” - he sails on yachts, crosses the ocean, engages in spearfishing, rushes at breakneck speed in a car... For many people, reading is a kind of vacation and adventure. Having opened this book, such a reader will receive what he wants to receive.***Translation from Japanese: Alexander Meshcheryakov.