The novel by the Finnish writer and journalist Martti Larni, “The Fourth Vertebrae, or the Reluctant Fraudster,” was published in 1957 and went through several editions in Finland. The events of the novel unfold in the United States of America, where the author visited in the post-war years. However, Larney does not strive for a comprehensive display of American reality. “The Fourth Vertebrae, or the Reluctant Fraud” is a biting satire on certain aspects of the American “way of life”; the writer depicts the morals of America today, using mainly the technique of hyperbole and caricature. The translation of Martti Larni’s unique and witty book will introduce the Soviet reader to a memorable work of modern Finnish literature.