The Flying Elephant: Memoirs of an Olympic Champion Kindle Edition by Alexander Savin

The Flying Elephant: Memoirs of an Olympic Champion is the memoir of Alexander Savin, the Soviet volleyball star who won Olympic gold in Moscow in 1980. Published as a Kindle edition in October 2025, the 514-page book traces his journey through the golden age of Soviet volleyball, illustrated with more than 240 rare photographs.

Whether you came across the title while browsing the Kindle store or heard about Savin’s legendary career, this guide covers who Alexander Savin is, what the memoir contains, what the unusual title means, and who will get the most out of reading it.

What Is The Flying Elephant?

The Flying Elephant: Memoirs of an Olympic Champion is Alexander Savin’s autobiographical account of a career at the summit of world volleyball. It was published as a Kindle edition on October 26, 2025, runs to 514 pages in English, and draws on private family collections and public archives for over 240 rare photographs spanning five decades.

The book was produced with the help of several contributors: Andrei Savine as editor and translator, Julia Savine as editor, Peter Murphy writing the introduction, and Alfredo Cabero as translator, among others. It is positioned for volleyball players and coaches, Olympic-history enthusiasts, and readers interested in Soviet sports culture — though, as we will see, its appeal reaches a little wider than that.

Who Is Alexander Savin?

Aleksandr Borisovich Savin — known in English as Alexander Savin — was born on July 1, 1957, in Taganrog, in what was then the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. He moved with his parents to Obninsk, in the Kaluga region, as a child, and it was there that his volleyball story began.

Standing 200 cm (6 ft 7 in), Savin played as a middle blocker, wearing number 3, and represented the Soviet Union national team from 1975 to 1986. His first coach was Vladimir Pitanov, under whom he began playing in 1967 at the Obninsk youth volleyball school — an institution that was renamed in Savin’s honour in 2004. In 2010, he was inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame in Holyoke, USA.

For another story of a life shaped by elite sport, read our profile of Istvan Kovacs, whose career was likewise defined by the pressures of top-level competition.

Alexander Savin’s Titles and Achievements

Savin’s medal record places him among the most decorated volleyball players of his era:

• Olympic Games: silver at Montreal 1976 (he played all five matches) and gold at Moscow 1980 (he played all six matches).
• FIVB World Championship: gold in 1978 and 1982.
• FIVB World Cup: gold in 1977 and 1981.
• European Championship: gold six times in a row — 1975, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1983, and 1985.
• State honours: Honored Master of Sports of the USSR (1976), the Order of the Badge of Honour (1980), and the Order of Friendship of Peoples (1985).
• Hall of Fame: inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame on October 22, 2010.

What the Memoir Covers

According to the book’s own description, Savin shares his journey through the golden age of Soviet volleyball — a period when the USSR national team dominated the world game. The memoir includes rare insider stories from CSKA Moscow and the legendary Soviet national squad, honest portraits of volleyball greats who have since been largely forgotten, and behind-the-scenes insights from Olympic competition.

It also looks forward as well as back: Savin sets out his coaching philosophy for developing the next generation of players. And running through all of it are those 240-plus photographs — images from private family collections and public archives, many never widely seen, covering five decades of volleyball history.

Why Is It Called “The Flying Elephant”?

The title is a vivid piece of sporting imagery. Picture a 200 cm middle blocker — a giant by any standard — rising explosively above the net to meet the ball. An elephant that could fly: heavy, powerful, and yet airborne. For a player whose game was built on that combination of size and leaping ability, the nickname fits beautifully.

A word of caution, though: some corners of the internet credit the nickname’s invention to Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport, but that origin could not be verified from reliable sources. Until better evidence surfaces, treat it as fan lore rather than fact — the image itself is evocative enough without a disputed backstory.

The Kindle Edition at a Glance

• Full title: The Flying Elephant: Memoirs of an Olympic Champion
• Author: Alexander Savin
• Format: Kindle edition
• Published: October 26, 2025
• Language: English
• Print length: 514 pages
• Extras: over 240 rare photographs; enhanced typesetting enabled

Who Should Read This Book?

The natural audience is volleyball players and coaches — Savin’s coaching philosophy alone gives them practical reason to pick it up — along with Olympic-history enthusiasts and anyone fascinated by Soviet sports culture, a world that produced extraordinary athletes under extraordinary conditions.

But you do not need to be a volleyball fan to get something from it. Readers who enjoy sports memoirs as human stories — the making of a champion, the weight of expectation, life inside a sporting machine — will find plenty here. If you have ever wondered what it took to stay at the top of a ruthless international sport for more than a decade, this is a first-hand answer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Alexander Savin?

Alexander (Aleksandr) Savin is a former Soviet volleyball player, born in 1957, who played as a middle blocker for the USSR national team from 1975 to 1986. He won Olympic silver in 1976 and Olympic gold in 1980, along with multiple world and European titles, and was inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2010.

What is The Flying Elephant about?

It is Savin’s memoir of his career during the golden age of Soviet volleyball: insider stories from CSKA Moscow and the USSR national team, portraits of great players, behind-the-scenes Olympic memories, his coaching philosophy, and more than 240 rare photographs spanning five decades.

Why is the book called The Flying Elephant?

The title evokes Savin’s playing style — a 200 cm middle blocker famed for his explosive leaping ability, a giant who seemed to fly above the net. Claims about the nickname’s exact origin are unverified and should be treated as lore.

When was the Kindle edition published, and how long is it?

The Kindle edition was published on October 26, 2025. It runs to 514 pages in English, with enhanced typesetting and over 240 photographs.

Is The Flying Elephant worth reading if I am not a volleyball fan?

Quite possibly. Beyond volleyball specifics, it is a first-hand account of elite sport, Olympic pressure, and Soviet sporting culture — themes that appeal to memoir readers and sports-history fans generally.

Where can I find the Kindle edition?

It is available as a Kindle edition through the Amazon Kindle store in your region — search the exact title to find the current listing.

Final Thoughts

The Flying Elephant is that rare sports memoir: written by someone who genuinely stood at the pinnacle of his sport, covering an era — Soviet volleyball’s long dominance — that deserves to be better documented in English. The combination of first-hand storytelling and a remarkable photographic archive makes it a substantial addition to any Olympic bookshelf.

For more life stories from the world of sport and beyond, explore our Celebrities section.