In Memories of My Youth, Daisaku Ikeda shares intimate details of his family history, his upbringing as the fifth of ten children in a seaweed farming family, and his experiences during the Pacific War. We learn of his hopes as a youth, his many setbacks and disappointments, and the training he received under second Soka Gakkai president Josei Toda to create value from any situation. From these touching personal essays, written some fifty years ago, we gain new insights into his opposition to war, to fascism, and to all forces that seek to diminish the value of life. We also develop a new appreciation for this man from humble beginnings whose commitment to peace remained unbending until his passing in 2023 at age ninety-five.