Memoirs of a prominent Soviet and Russian diplomat, a wonderful translator-Arabist Vasily Ivanovich Kolotushi (1941-2020) are devoted to events in the field of Middle Eastern politics, to which the author was involved in the 60-90s. XX century He happened to work and often visit many countries of the Middle East and North Africa - in Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Yemen, Syria, Sudan, and in Lebanon and Morocco he was the ambassador of our country. Along with a frank narrative about events in the field of Middle Eastern politics, vivid characteristics of regional leaders and politicians, an informative story about the craft of a translator, V.I. Kolotusha vividly paints pictures of everyday life in the countries that he knew so well. This book significantly complements our ideas about the events in the Middle East in the second half of the 20th century. The publication is addressed by the author to fellow diplomats, Arabists, readers interested in the countries of the Middle East and the foreign policy of the USSR and Russia.