In the widely known novel “Strogovs” by Georgy Markov, the reader is presented with the harsh, truthful past life of a remote taiga village called Wolf Hollow. In “Salt of the Earth,” Georgy Markov tells about the present days—about Soviet people fighting to develop the riches of Siberian land. In this novel, the writer depicts the further fate of members of the Strogov family. One of the main characters is Alexey Krayukhin. He is relentlessly driven by concern for his native region. After the end of the Patriotic War, leaving a research institute, he goes to his home places, carefully investigates and explores their riches, and fights against people who are indifferent to the fate of the district.
The image of the hunter Lisitsyn stands out for its vividness and individuality. His soul is full of anxious care for the people’s treasure—the taiga. The character of Marina Strogova, a Soviet woman-scientist contributing to Russian science, is memorable.
The novel is read with great interest. The author raises the most important questions of life in Soviet society and creates яркі images of Soviet people.