When local law enforcement agencies need help on the hit television show Criminal Minds, they turn to the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) of the FBI, but where did these uber-crime fighters come from? Men of the BAU explores the personal histories of the five male characters who work every day under high stress in dangerous, horrific situations. These Special Agents solve heinous, often serial, crimes by providing profiles of the unknown subjects to the locals. They see some truly brutal things as they go about their daily jobs, and it begs the question: what would drive a person to want to do this job? The show hints at bits of the characters' personal histories, but rarely fleshes out this biographical information. Men of the BAU fills in the gaps in the characters' lives before they came to the FBI, detailing each man's history up to the point when the show started in 2005. For example, Hotch grew up in a dysfunctional family and helped his neighbor solve the long-ago murders of her parents. Rossi served in the Marine Corps as a member of the Psychological Operations team in Vietnam and developed an interest in why criminals behave the way they do. Gideon had a twin brother who was beaten to death at the age of seventeen. Morgan became interested in the bomb squad as soon as he made detective in Chicago, and Reid has a very real reason for not wanting to shake hands with anyone. This book and its author have no financial, personal, or professional relationship to the Criminal Minds television show, CBS, or the production company. REVIEW: MEN OF THE BAU The book was great By the time I was done, I was like man i wish there was more I think you did an amazing job on it. My friend bri was jealous because she loves that show. M. Weidleman, Ohio