Product Description
Dave Baranek (callsign "Bio") was one of 451 young men to receive his Wings of Gold in 1980 as a naval flight officer. Four years later, seasoned by intense training and deployments in the tense confrontations of the cold war, he became the only one of that initial group to rise to become an instructor at the navy's elite Fighter Weapons School. As a Topgun instructor, Bio was responsible for teaching the navy's and Marine Corps's best fighter pilots how to be even better. He schooled them in the classroom and then went head-to-head with them in the skies.

Then, in August 1985, Bio was assigned to combine his day-to-day flight duties with participation in a Pentagon-blessed project to film action footage for a major Hollywood movie focusing on the lives, loves, heartbreaks, and triumphs of young fighter pilots: Top Gun.

Bio soon found himself riding in limousines to attend gala premieres, and being singled out by giggling teenagers and awed schoolboys who recognized the name "Topgun" on his T-shirts. The book ends with his reflections on his career as a skilled naval aviator and his enduring love of flight. 50 color photographs ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

TGD is great stuff
Topgun Days is an excellent book for aviation aficianados and fans of the film from 10 to 80. Author Baranek puts the reader in the cockpit of the Topgun bird, the Navy's F-14, and gives them a great ride- from carrier ops all the way to the Topgun experience as both a student and then an instructor. He then "gets into the cockpit" of his experience in filming Top Gun which was one of the most successful films internationallly and domestically of all time. Entertaining as well as informative, I highly recommend this insightful work!

Topgun Days, or- My Life as One of The Best and Luckiest
Like many other kids and aviation fans around the world, Top Gun (the movie) left me awe struck when it first came out in 1986. Cheesy plot and over-the-top characters aside, no over movie that I have seen since topped the aerial cinematography, showing the classic Tomcat (and other planes) in all its glamour.

A short while after seeing the movie I purchased a book by the same name, authored by the late George Hall, which marvelously documented Topgun during that period in text and photos. One of the photos featured two Topgun instructors "dogfighting" with their hands, with MiG silhouettes painted on the wall behind them. Their names were Greg "Hollywood" Dishart and Dave "Bio" Baranek.

Twenty-five years later, and I, still an aviation buff in the closet, am checking out the store at the Air&Space Museum, Udvar Hazy center while I recognize a name stuck in my head from childhood on an eye catching book cover titled "Topgun days". Rather than purchasing the book on the spot, I rushed home and did some web searching. After checking out Dave "Bio" Baranek's web site (highly recommended), I decided to come back to the museum and purchase the book when he was there for signing.

Meeting "Bio" was a delight. Although he was busy doing some marketing for the book, I managed to spend about five minutes talking to him about aviation stuff and basically enjoying the company of a high energy, really nice guy and a true aviation fan. Before I left with my autographed copy "Bio" inquired how I can help spread the word about his book. Finding out I would be pretty much useless in this regard, we just shook hands and parted as friends (I hope).

Well, "Bio", not all is lost! How about a review in Amazon?

"Topgun days" is the most enjoyable book I had read in a long time. "Bio" clearly and meticulously follows the training course of a RIO from step one all the way to the highest echelons of the fighter profession in the Navy. His writing is straight forward and is peppered with subtle humor. I found myself trying to read the book as slowly as possible to savor the experience. In addition to being one of the best and finest "Bio" is also one of the lucky ones to serve at Topgun during the period in which "Top gun" the movie was filmed. The third part of the book is dedicated to the contribution of the Topgun instructors to the movie and the impact that it had on them during the filming and after it came out.

The part about the movie is definitely a pleasure read, however what impressed me most about the book is the descriptions of the personal investment "Bio" made in order to progress in the Navy as a RIO and particularly the hard work that he put in order to legitimately earn a place as a Topgun instructor. The descriptions of the ACM engagements are fascinating not only from the technical aspects (and "Bio" is doing an admirable job depicting aerial combat scenes in a way that, as others already said, puts the reader in the cockpit), but also since it comes from different points of views in "Bio's" career, from a rookie RIO, to a fleet aviator, a Topgun student and eventually a Topgun instructor (acting as the bad guy, or "Jester" if you will). As Bio progresses through these stages and flies them as a RIO, the reader also "progresses" through them and shares the mistakes, the achievements, the excitements, and several chilling moments.

Although "Bio" is simply telling his (extremely unique) story, he also incidentally provides some useful life lessons for success that any ambitious organization can heed- teamwork, constructive peer criticism, self empowerment, attention to details, constant strive for perfection, and just good old plain hard, hard work. This added value makes the book a perfect gift for new graduates or new hires/employees, and a much better option than other flat out "how to succeed in business and life" guides.

If there's one disappointment it is that the story ends abruptly with "Bio's" end of tour at Topgun. Not that the book promises more, but I was anxious to know what happened afterwards to "Bio" and his colleagues, and how did he progress to become a squadron CO.

"Bio", I'd like to thank you for a great book which I will surely revisit in the future. If you ever find the time and the patience to publish a follow-up book, I'll be the first (OK, maybe the second or 10th, but I'll be there) in line to get it autographed by you!

Fly Navy -- what it takes
Dave "Bio" Baranek is a gifted writer who experienced naval aviation during the high point of the the F-14 Tomcat's service.His viewpoint is a bit different than most ex-naval aviators turned authors in that it was not as a pilot, but as a RIO (Radar Intercept Officer).Here you will obtain a real feel for what it took to form a cohesive team -- pilot and RIO -- in order to master the art of dogfighting and ground attack in the mighty Tomcat.The book also provides a first-hand account of a naval aviator's life aboard a deployed aircraft carrier, from mission planning to briefings, cat shots, and landings.As a bonus, the author recounts his amazing experience as both a student, and later, an instructor in TOPGUN--and his involvement with the making of the Hollywood film.It all took long hours and hard work, lessons that are clearly evident in this book.I highly recommend this book to aviation buffs, F-14 aficionados, and anyone remotely thinking about a career in the Navy and in particular naval aviation.

Tomcats, Topgun, "Top Gun", Great Read!
This is a great book about a guy Dave "Bio" Baranek who became an RIO (Radar Intercept Officer) in the venerable F-14 Tomcat.Bio later went through Topgun as a student which lead him to be selected as a Topgun instructor.The timing was perfect for Bio to take part in and be an advisor for the major motion picture "Top Gun".Baranek isn't afraid to show us reaching his goals and dreams was attained through a lot of hard work.I hope to see a book II in the not too distant future.

This Is How It Really Was
I enjoyed this book and thought it was exceptional. The cover subtitle may be deceptive since the book is really an excellent six to seven year mini-biography of the author's long journey from being a brand new Naval Flight Officer ensign out of flight training, through transition training to become a Grumman F-14 Tomcat Radar Intercept Officer (RIO), through his first squadron tour and two deployments, to his time as a Topgun instructor. During his two years in Topgun, "Bio" worked hard to become a polished and highly respected instructor giving threat and tactics lectures, flight briefs and, of course, flying on regular training exercises. During the latter part of his tour he became involved, as many others at NAS Miramar did, in the filming of the major motion picture "Top Gun" and in making it the success it was. His behind the scenes descriptions about the filming of the movie and his helping make the actors dialogue more creditable is fascinating and informative.Additionally, his insider perspectives on the natural tension between "absolute reality and authenticity" and the often competing requirements of creating a compelling and commercially successful cinematic experience, and how the major active duty Navy pilots and RIOs assigned to the project were able to strike a balance and make credible compromises between fact and fiction are compelling and make for a greater understanding of the movie version.
First and foremost, however, "Bio's" narrative is an exceptionally un-affected and honest telling of the trials and tribulations of a "new guy" trying to learn all there is to know about flying the F-14, adapting and finding his place in squadron life, and the growing pains along the way. His narration of his time in Topgun describes the high professionalism and dedication of the instructors and yields a very humble description of his first "murder boards" and the work and long hours that went into the preparation for every lecture he gave and every flight on which he flew. In addition to his personal story, "Bio" includes numerous sidebars or "intel briefs" that explain in greater detail aspects of Naval aviation like aviator call signs, why there is a RIO in the F-14, Topgun's origin and mission, and simulating enemy aircraft and tactics in the air. These intel briefs help the reader understand the story and the environment the author populated.
Anyone wanting a genuine and honest peek at Naval aviation and the effort required to get there and excel will find "Bio's" book a must read pick for the 2010 summer reading list.

CAPT Spike Prendergast, USN (Ret)
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Product Description
Barnstormer, World War II fighter, test pilot, aerobatic genius -- Bob Hoover is a living aviation legend, the man General James "Jimmy" Doolittle called "the greatest stick and rudder pilot who ever lived." Hoover's career spans the history of American aviation, and now he tells his amazing story with all the flat-out honesty and gusto that have made his life an extraordinary adventure.

At twenty-two, Hoover was a decorated World War II fighter pilot, already famous both for his aerobatic abilities -- including looping under a bridge in Tunisia -- and for surviving seventeen equipment-failure crash landings as a test pilot. Then the Germans knocked his Mark V Spitfire out of the sky. He made three attempts to escape en route to the infamous Stalag I prison camp, and after sixteen brutal months, finally escaped by stealing a German plane and flying it to Holland.

After the war, Hoover tested the first jets at Wright Field, dogfighting Chuck Yeager, the man who'd come to call him "Pard." In the quest to break the sound barrier in the Bell X-1, Hoover endured every step of the grueling G-force training along with Yeager. But soon after Yeager's historic flight, Hoover broke both his legs in a desperate bailout from a blazing F-84 Thunderjet -- dashing his dreams of flying the X-1 himself.

In Forever Flying, we relive the thrills and danger Hoover continued to face as a civilian test pilot: testing the first jets to take off and land aboard aircraft carriers; flying bombing runs over North Korea; and demonstrating new planes for fighter pilots, who had to be warned not to attempt to duplicate Hoover's spectacular spins, stalls, and rolls. He became an adviser to engineering on the X-15 rocket, and rose through the corporate ranks, famed for flying his daring aerobatics routines in a business suit and straw hat instead of a pilot's "G suit."

Bob Hoover has flown more than 300 types of aircraft, dazzled crowds at more than 2,000 air shows all over the world, and is still flying today. He's set both transcontinental and "time to climb" speed records, and known such great aviators as Orville Wright, Eddie Rickenbacker, Charles Lindbergh, Jacqueline Cochran, Neil Armstrong, and Yuri Gagarin, who saved Hoover from the KGB at an international aerobatics competition in Moscow during the height of the Cold War.

Spiced by reminiscences from fellow fliers, friends, and his wife, all of whom recount Hoover's devilish practical jokes as well as his death-defying flights, Forever Flying reveals the magnificent true story of a great American hero. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

Remarkable pilot
I've been a big fan of Bob Hoover for years and think that he is a remarkable aviator. Unfortunately Mr. Hoovers aeronautical skills don't carry over to his writing. This book is a quick and enjoyable read but it suffers from poor editing. Hoover and his ghost writer repeat themselves through out the book and the writing has more choppiness and air turbulence than a J-3 Cub flying in the wake of a 747. In spite of these short comings I enjoyed Mr. Hoover's literary effort and am awed by his accomplishments.

Forever Flying
A great book and an amazing man and patriot.A must read for true pilots.

Forever Flying
A review of the flying career of well known Bob Hoover. His training, military service and test work for several companies. Gives an insight in the way early jet-fighters were developed. Excellent reading for (ex) military pilots.

forever flying
Bought that book for my husband and he couldn't stop reading it.
What a great book.

Forever Hoover
Can't really say for I have not read the book yet. But it seems super. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Naval Aviation News, published by Department of the Navy, Naval Historical Center on July 1, 2005. The length of the article is 519 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Dogfighting disaster.(GRAMPAW PETTIBONE)
Author: Ted Wilbur
Publication: Naval Aviation News (Magazine/Journal)
Date: July 1, 2005
Publisher: Department of the Navy, Naval Historical Center
Volume: 87Issue: 5Page: 5(1)

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Product Description
This digital document is an article from The Non-profit Times, published by Thomson Gale on September 1, 2007. The length of the article is 870 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Outrage to dogfighting charges knocked out site: Humane Society's site down for several hours.
Author: Mark Hrywna
Publication: The Non-profit Times (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 1, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 21Issue: 16Page: 1(2)

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This digital document is an article from Winnipeg Free Press, published by Thomson Gale on August 21, 2007. The length of the article is 706 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Prison stint is Vick's next battle; Will plead guilty to dogfighting; sentence likely year to 18 months.(Sports)
Author: Gale Reference Team
Publication: Winnipeg Free Press (Magazine/Journal)
Date: August 21, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Page: c1

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This digital document is an article from Winnipeg Free Press, published by Thomson Gale on December 9, 2007. The length of the article is 682 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: For sale: A house of horrors; Curious attracted to Vick's dogfighting headquarters.(Sports)
Author: Gale Reference Team
Publication: Winnipeg Free Press (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 9, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Page: c5

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This digital document is an article from National Defense, published by National Defense Industrial Association on March 1, 2005. The length of the article is 1006 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Defense review: beltway dogfighting at its best.(Defense Watch)
Author: Sandra I. Erwin
Publication: National Defense (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 1, 2005
Publisher: National Defense Industrial Association
Volume: 89Issue: 616Page: 6(1)

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This digital document is an article from Winnipeg Free Press, published by Thomson Gale on December 11, 2007. The length of the article is 655 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Judge hammers Vick; Ex-Falcons star gets up to 23 months for role in dogfighting ring.(Sports)
Author: Gale Reference Team
Publication: Winnipeg Free Press (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 11, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Page: c1

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This digital document is an article from Winnipeg Free Press, published by Thomson Gale on September 27, 2007. The length of the article is 510 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Positive pot test puts Vick in more hot water.(Sports)
Author: Gale Reference Team
Publication: Winnipeg Free Press (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 27, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Page: c3

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This digital document is an article from The Non-profit Times, published by Thomson Gale on October 15, 2007. The length of the article is 3313 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Unusual methods: being a little off center can score big dollars.(FUNDRAISING)
Author: Mark Hrywna
Publication: The Non-profit Times (Magazine/Journal)
Date: October 15, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 21Issue: 19Page: 10(3)

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This digital document is an article from Dog Watch, published by Belvoir Media Group, LLC on February 1, 2008. The length of the article is 899 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: A possible pit precedent?
Author: Unavailable
Publication: Dog Watch (Magazine/Journal)
Date: February 1, 2008
Publisher: Belvoir Media Group, LLC
Volume: 12Issue: 2Page: 10(1)

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This digital document is an article from Jet, published by Thomson Gale on September 10, 2007. The length of the article is 528 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Michael Vick pleads guilty, offers 'deepest apologies to everyone'.(SPORTS)
Author: Melody K. Hoffman
Publication: Jet (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 10, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 112Issue: 10Page: 62(1)

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This digital document is an article from The Non-profit Times, published by Thomson Gale on December 1, 2007. The length of the article is 2988 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The churning sector: no storms, at least from a weather perspective.(YEAR IN REVIEW)
Author: Mark Hrywna
Publication: The Non-profit Times (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 1, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 21Issue: 22Page: 18(3)

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Customer Reviews (3)

HE WHO DOES NOT LEARN FROM HISTORY IS DOOMED TO REPEAT IT.
Pitting man's best friend against man's best friend counts among the most heinous crimes our race has ever committed. Animal rights activists and many dog lovers cannot bear the thought of dog fighting as an acceptable "sport," yet the breeds once used in these bloody games remain among the world's most loved and popular companions dogs. The History of Fighting Dogs traces the fascinating history of the dog pits, and donkeys, to the gory contests with a thousand rats, to the ultimate fight: dog against dog.

We cannot ignore or deny the history of our dogs, or of our race. This important first volume by international dog expert Dr. Dieter Fleig delves deeply into the history of the fighting dog, its effects on our dogs today, and its reflection on the social character of the times.

Over a hindered prints, paintings, and sculptures-many in color- bring to life the woeful tales of the dog pit and the brave canine warriors that proved fearless and relentless time and time again. For advocates of the bull and terrier breeds, for all dog lovers, and for animal people everywhere, this book is a timeless, truthful testament to man's best friend and his all-giving (and forgiving) heart.

Well done!
A good book describing the opponents the fighting dogs faced and how they were expected to fight them.However there is little information on the breeds themselves. Excellent art work is displayed on nearly every page,andthe information is reliable. I would recommend it to people interested inthere dogs heritage as a fighter. I gave it 4 stars because I feel it couldhave been longer. Full of details it is a good book for any fighting dogowner. You'll get a complete understanding where your dog came from.

Great Book
I am a freash Staff owner i Norway, and got a hole new respekt for this type of dog. How can you not when you read about all the awfull thigs man has done to this amimal, and still it loves us so much.The book also pays a tribut to the war dogs which to few of us know about.The book also tellsthe reason for animal fights and the social situation. Thank you for this great book! ... Read more

Product Description
Moscow Police Inspector Porfiry Rostnikov returns in another book in the Edgar Award-winning series--this time putting himself in league with members of the Russian Mafia, who feel that the murders of two of their own are related to new gang wars.Amazon.com Review
Stuart M. Kaminsky won an Edgar for A Cold Red Sunrise, thefourth book in his deliciously mordant series about Moscow cop PorfiryRostnikov, and number 12, The Dog Who Bit a Policeman, might be even better. Rostnikov, aone-legged inspector who lifts weights and sleeps in a black T-shirtemblazoned with "The Truth Is Out There" in white letters, is one of the most engaging andrelevant characters in recent crime fiction, a sharp and caring policemanas well as the perfect tour guide to a changing (that is, disintegrating)Russia. Now working in the Office of Special Investigation under a corruptbut efficient boss known as the Yak, Rostnikov has been promoted andpromised full support "if one or more of the varied criminal organizationsand the confused state bureaucracy attempted to impede the performance ofhis duties. Up to now, the Yak had been as good as his word and hadsuccessfully bought the loyalty of Rostnikov and his staff." That staff, asrich as in a work by Gogol, includes a mad pathologist who talks tocadavers; an obsessive detective called Emil Karpo, "the Vampire," whospends "all his waking hours relentlessly pursuing criminals from both thepast and present"; and Rostnikov's son Iosef, a failed actor/playwright andveteran of the war in Afghanistan. While Porfiry and Karpo try to head offa war between two Mafia leaders, Iosef and his partner are looking into thelatest disappearance of a popular, Yeltsinesque politician with a drinkingproblem. Another pair of detectives pose as Ukrainian high rollers toinfiltrate a burgeoning business in illegal dogfights--hence the possiblyungrammatical (shouldn't it be "The Dog That..." rather than "The DogWho..."?) but definitely appropriate title for this beautifully researchedand energetically written story. --Dick Adler ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Another fantastic Kaminsky book
You wonder how he can keep going on at this level of quality in character, plot, sense of place and narrative drive. I love pretty much every book in the Rostnikov series. He's not Arkady Renko, but there is only one of those, and who knows whether Martin Cruz Smith will ever be able to do another.

Best in the series since "A Cold Red Sunrise"
Once again we find Porfiry Petrovich and his intrepid crew (augmented now by his son Iosef) deep into the criminal mafias in the 'new' Moskow.Sasha has been sent undercover the underworld of dog fighting, with Elena Timfoyeva along as his girlfriend/prostitute.Iosef and Arkady Zelach are sent to look for a 'yelsinesque' politician whose power in the Duma can prevent the passing of some pending problem legislation.Porfiry and the Vampire (Emil Karpov) are looking into the killing of a mafia lieutenant that could set off an all out war between the Chechian and Tartar mafias.

As always, Porfiry is called on to work on other important matters at the same time.He knows that something is wrong with Sarah, and that she has been seen her cousin Leon the doctor who has cared for her brain tumor.At the same time Sasha's mother (Lydia Tkach) has come to beg Porfiry to put Sasha (who seems to be losing his personal control) on a desk job before he gets himself killed.Maya has told Lydia that she is leaving and taking the children to Kiev.Iosef continues to pursue Elena, and has once or twice again asked her to marry him, at one point she's ready to say yes when they are interrupted.

Readers of he series know that everything will turn out all right in the end and Porfiry will be able to make a deal with the Yak for some favor.What is interesting is that we find out that Zelach has another talent, that he is able to kick a soccer ball over half a field and land it where he wants (he even impresses a professional coach).

Once again, Kaminsky has done a phenomenal job in evoking the sociological changes that were occurring in Russia (in 1998) as people were trying to adjust to the end of the Soviet Union.

The best Rostnikov yet...
I always thought that no author could rival Martin Cruz Smith when it came to writing Russian mysteries.But Stuart Kaminsky's Porfiry Rostnikov series certainly comes close.I just finished The Dog Who Bit a Policeman, and so far, it's the best of the bunch that I've read thus far.

As post-Soviet Russia moves into a state of greater lawlessness, groups of Russian Mafia are vying for control.Things are getting out of hand and more and more people (innocent and otherwise) are being killed.Chief Inspector Rostnikov and his assistant, Emil Karpo, are trying to keep the conflict between two rival groups from escalating to an all out war.Another group of Mafia is running regular dog fights, and Sasha Tkach and Elena Timofeyeva go undercover in a very dangerous operation to infiltrate this brutal and deadly enterprise.Meanwhile, Rostnikov's son, Iosef (who is now a policeman) is working to find a Moscow government official who has gone missing.In between, the central characters must also deal with a host of other issues.Rostnikov's wife, Sara, has apparently had a relapse of a brain tumor and needs further surgery.Iosef and Elena have started dating, and Iosef wants Elena to marry him.Sasha's wife, Maya, is fed up with the brooding Sasha and is threatening to leave.Corruption is still very much evident, even among police officials.And there is not enough money, goods or food for most of the Russian population.

I listened to this book on tape (unabridged) on a long trip, and it was suspenseful enough to keep me on the edge of my seat for approximately 11 hours. My only minor complaint was that hearing it on tape, it was difficult to keep the characters straight at the beginning.My only other recommendation would be to read the Rostnikov series in order.Since the personal lives of the characters continue to evolve with each book, it would make for better continuity.Still, a Kaminsky book, in any order, is better than most mysteries out there today.

Kaminsky Stays in Top Form
In his 13th Inspector Porfiry Rostnikov adventure, author Stuart Kaminskyonce again takes us inside the "new" Russia with a realism thatis at times stark, amusing, tragic, and even romantic.Kaminsky has theunique ability to write of modern day Russia with a "feel" thatis at once real and compelling.The Curtain has fallen on thepolitical system of the Soviet Union and out of the depths of the ashesrises not the Phoenix but a complex, confusing, and dangerous atmospherethat indeed is alarming to its citizens, who, naturally, long for breathsof freedom.Who will rule out of this rubble is the mystery!Thecollapse of communism merely has opened up another evil--organized crime. However, enter Inspector Rostnikov and his team of crime fighters of theMoscow police..Throughout the series, readers have come to respectthe wily, one-legged Inspector (known as "The Washtub," due tohis weightlifting in his freetime), who is a realist at heart, yet both asentimentalist and a romanticist.In "The Dog Who Bit APoliceman," Rostnikov's squad faces the destructive forces of twoMafia gangs, hell- bent to kill each other and to control the country, oneprecinct at a time.Kaminsky's books always carry parallel campaigns and Sasha Tkach and ElenaTimofeyeva are assigned to hound out theperpetrators of illegal dog fighting, a fast rising and highly profitable"business." Elena's romantic interests withRostnikov'spoliceman son continue to expand while the "Vampire" EmileKarpo's task follows more the political line of crime fighting.He and theInspector try to solve a series of gang-related murders but which alsoinvolve high level political figures.Kaminsky has the ability toinvoke the power of description and episode of modern Moscow and of thefeelings of the general Muscovite. One doesn't have to know first-handMotherRussia to appreciate this series as the author's ability to bringout the landscape and atmosphere is outstanding and noteworthy. For agreat mystery read, this series, andespecially this book, is superb.Dos vidanya!

Rostinikov, the philosophical detective.Thumb's up!
Stuart Kaminsky's characters are so real that I welcome their return as Iwowuld an old and dear friend.Life never seems to get easier inpost-communist Russia, and crime still runs rampant, but our team ofdetectives (the only ones in the police department seemingly incorruptible)plod slowly along until the crimes are solved.Each character has his orher style, but my favorite, is Inspector Porfity Rostnikov -- philospher,master detective, sometime psychologist, lover of fine music, weightlifter, husband, father and friend.Intrigued with American mystery books(Ed McBain is his favorite writer), he has the uncanny ability to tap intocriminal minds to solve the crimes.This is a definite read for lovers ofintelligent mystery books with interesting quirky characters. ... Read more