The Flying Elephant: Memoirs of an Olympic Champion is Alexander Savin’s account of his life in volleyball, translated into English and released in Kindle format. Savin represented the Soviet Union in men’s volleyball, winning Olympic silver in Montreal in 1976 and gold in Moscow in 1980.
The book covers more than his results on court. Its subject includes the people, places and sporting community that shaped his career, with archival photographs accompanying his memories.
Who is Alexander Savin?
Alexander Savin, also recorded as Aleksandr Borisovich Savin, is a former Soviet volleyball player associated with CSKA Moscow. The different spellings reflect English transliterations of his Russian name.
His Olympic career included two very different finals. In Montreal, the Soviet team lost to Poland in five sets and finished with silver. Four years later, it defeated Bulgaria in four sets to win gold in Moscow.
Savin also won world championship titles in 1978 and 1982. The International Volleyball Hall of Fame inducted him in 2010 in its Male Indoor Player category.
These achievements provide the historical context for the memoir: its author competed during a period of sustained Soviet success in international volleyball.
What does The Flying Elephant cover?
The memoir follows Savin’s sporting journey and recalls the people who influenced it. Belogorie volleyball club’s announcement of the Russian book described memories of his upbringing, volleyball development, significant events and the people who inspired him.
Obninsk, the Russian city where he grew up and began playing volleyball, is an important part of that story. In a January 2024 interview with the local publication NG-Region, Savin explained that he wanted to convey the atmosphere of his early years and remember relatives and people close to him.
That coverage also identified memories of CSKA teammates and figures who helped develop volleyball in Obninsk, including his coach Vladimir Pitanov.
The book therefore offers a personal perspective on sporting history. Readers can approach it as an athlete’s recollections of his community and career, alongside the competition results recorded elsewhere.
How did the English Kindle edition develop?
The English edition grew from a translation project led by Savin’s half-brother, Andrei Savine. In a public account of the work, Andrei described spending more than a year on the project with Alfredo Cabero and Ioulia Soudakova.
For Andrei, translating the memoir also became a way to reconnect with his brother and learn about the teammates, coaches and friends in his story.
Cabero described a particular translation challenge: Russian sayings and cultural expressions did not always have direct English equivalents. The team needed to understand their meaning before finding wording that worked in English.
Both contributors publicly confirmed the English book’s Kindle release. Cabero also described contributing archival photographs to the original Russian project and said the Kindle edition includes historical photographs and contributions from prominent volleyball figures.
Why is it called The Flying Elephant?
The Russian title, Летающий слон, translates as The Flying Elephant.
When asked about the name in the January 2024 NG-Region interview, Savin left its explanation to the book. He suggested that volleyball players would understand the reference and that other readers would understand after reading it.
That leaves the title as something to discover in Savin’s own account rather than a nickname story to assume from its wording.
How to find the correct Kindle edition
Search for the complete title together with Alexander Savin. The Amazon links shared by the English translation contributors use the product identifier B0FXVDWW16, also known as an ASIN.
Before purchasing, check that the retailer listing matches:
- Author: Alexander Savin.
- Title: The Flying Elephant: Memoirs of an Olympic Champion.
- Language: English.
- Format: Kindle edition.
- Product identifier: B0FXVDWW16.
Check the listing in your Amazon marketplace for its current price, availability and reading options. If a sample is available, use it to assess the translation and photograph presentation before buying.
For readers interested in Soviet volleyball, Olympic history or the people behind a sporting career, the memoir offers a participant’s perspective. The sample is the most useful next step for deciding whether its voice and level of detail suit your interests.
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