Frederic Block is a Senior United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, a musician, and a noted author. His first book, Disrobed: An Inside Look at the Life and Work of a Federal Trial Judge, provides aunique  behind the bench look at some of the controversial cases Judge Block handled over his 23 years on the federal bench in Brooklyn. includiing the Crown Heights riots and the trial of Peter Gotti of the Gambino crime family. His new book, Race to Judgment is a "reality-fiction" debut novel loosely based on a number of high-profile cases handled by Judge Block