The name of Alexander Melnik is well known to long-time motorsport fans - many grew up reading his articles in the magazines “Avtomotosport”, “Behind the Wheel” and “Formula”. Some probably remember him from his commentary on IndyCar races, which were broadcast on NTV in the mid-90s. Several years ago, Alexander Dmitrievich left the racing topic, becoming the editor of one of the automobile publications, so the publication of his book about the great pilots of the past was a big and pleasant surprise. “Black Tales of the Iron Age” contains essays telling about the lives of 12 racers: Alberto Ascari, Tazio Nuvolari, Bernd Rosemeier, Phil Hill, Bruce McLaren, Pedro and Ricardo Rodriguez, Gilles Villeneuve, Elio de Angelis, Stefan Beloff, Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher. They are written in Melnikov’s inimitable style, thanks to which the texts take on artistic form and are read with great interest. The author set himself the task of revealing the personalities of famous racers, and not just describing their careers. The book contains a large number of photographs and is addressed to everyone who is interested in the exciting world of engines.