Searching for The Flying Elephant: Memoirs of an Olympic Champion Kindle edition by Alexander Savin can be confusing. Some pages describe a circus act, an elephant athlete, or even a gymnast. None of that is accurate.
This book is a sports memoir by Alexander Savin, a Soviet volleyball star who won Olympic gold at the 1980 Moscow Games. It was released on Kindle in October 2025 and offers a rare first-person look at Soviet volleyball in English.
This guide covers who Savin is, what the memoir offers, the Kindle edition details, who will enjoy it, and where to get it.
What Is The Flying Elephant: Memoirs of an Olympic Champion?
Flying Elephant: Memoirs of an Olympic Champion is an autobiography published as a Kindle eBook. Its Amazon subtitle reads “From Olympic Glory to Coaching Wisdom: The Candid Memoir of a Volleyball Champion.”
The listing credits Alexander Savin as author. Andrei Savine and Julia Savine are listed as editors, Peter Murphy wrote the introduction, and Alfredo Cabero is credited as a translator. Because Savin’s career unfolded in the Soviet Union, an English edition needed this kind of team effort.
The title is a nickname-style reference to a player known for size and power at the net. The book is about volleyball, not animals.
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Who Is Alexander Savin?
Aleksandr Borisovich Savin was born on July 1, 1957, in Taganrog, Russia. He grew up in Obninsk, where he began playing volleyball as a student. At about 6 ft 7 in (200 cm), he played as a middle blocker for the Soviet national team from 1975 to 1986.
His record explains why a memoir from him matters:
- Olympics: silver in Montreal (1976) and gold in Moscow (1980)
- World Championships: gold in 1978 and 1982
- World Cup: gold in 1977 and 1981
- European Championships: six golds between 1975 and 1985
- Honor: inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame in Holyoke, Massachusetts, on October 22, 2010
For American readers, the Hall of Fame detail is a nice connection, since the museum sits in Massachusetts, the state where volleyball was invented.
What the Memoir Covers
According to the official Amazon description, the book follows Savin from youth volleyball through his Olympic years and into coaching. The listing highlights:
- Insider stories from CSKA Moscow and the USSR national team
- Portraits of lesser-known volleyball figures who shaped the sport
- Behind-the-scenes views of Olympic and international competition
- Savin’s coaching philosophy for developing young players
- More than 240 photographs from family collections and public archives, spanning about five decades
The photo count matters. Archival images of training camps and matches give readers a visual record of an era that rarely appears in English-language sports writing.
Readers interested in Cold War sports history will find extra value here. The Soviet team competed during years when the Olympics carried heavy political weight, and a player’s own account adds perspective that statistics cannot.
Kindle Edition Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Title | The Flying Elephant: Memoirs of an Olympic Champion |
| Author | Alexander Savin |
| Format | Kindle eBook |
| Print length | 514 pages |
| Publication date | October 26, 2025 |
| File size | About 68.8 MB |
| ASIN | B0FXVDWW16 |
| Features | Enhanced typesetting, Page Flip, Word Wise, screen reader support |
The large file size comes from the embedded photos, so downloading on Wi-Fi is smart. You can read it on a Kindle device or in the free Kindle app on a phone, tablet, or computer.
Who Should Read This Book?
This memoir suits:
- Volleyball fans and players who want a legend’s view of the sport’s golden era
- Coaches interested in how Savin approaches player development
- Olympic and Cold War history readers curious about the Soviet sports system
- Sports memoir readers who prefer team stories over solo-hero narratives
If you want a short, fast read, 514 pages may feel long. Readers with no interest in volleyball may also find the detail heavy.
Strengths and Limitations
What works: The author’s firsthand access, the deep photo collection, and the focus on teammates and coaches rather than only himself.
What to consider: The book is currently listed as a Kindle edition. Check Amazon for any print or audio version before buying. Amazon’s rating count was also very small when we checked (two ratings on the India store), so there are few public reviews to lean on.
Where to Buy the Kindle Edition
Search “The Flying Elephant Alexander Savin” on Amazon or use ASIN B0FXVDWW16. Prices and Kindle Unlimited eligibility vary by country, so check the live listing for the U.S. price. Always buy from Amazon directly, and be cautious with unofficial sites that copy the title but describe the wrong story.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote The Flying Elephant: Memoirs of an Olympic Champion?
Alexander Savin, the Soviet volleyball player who won Olympic gold in 1980. Several editors and translators are credited on the Amazon listing.
What sport is the memoir about?
Volleyball. Savin was a middle blocker for the Soviet national team.
Is the book about a real flying elephant?
No. Some low-quality websites claim this, but the memoir is the autobiography of a human Olympic athlete.
How many pages is the Kindle edition?
514 pages, with more than 240 photographs.
When was it published?
October 26, 2025.
Can I read it without a Kindle device?
Yes. The free Kindle app works on iOS, Android, Mac, and Windows.
Did Alexander Savin really win Olympic gold?
Yes. He won gold at the 1980 Moscow Olympics and silver at the 1976 Montreal Games.
Conclusion
Flying Elephant: Memoirs of an Olympic Champion is a straightforward volleyball memoir by a verified Olympic gold medalist. Its strengths are the author’s access to a rarely documented era, the extensive photo archive, and the coaching lessons that follow his playing career.
If you love volleyball, Olympic history, or sports biographies, it is worth a look. Check the current Amazon listing for price and availability, and ignore the pages that treat the title as a story about an animal.
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