Blood and Fire: The Unbelievable Real-Life Story of Wrestling’s Original Sheik

Solomon (WWE Legends), a writer for Pro Wrestling Illustrated, takes an exhilarating look at the life of Ed “The Sheik” Farhat (1926–2003), “the man whose barbarous and animalistic reputation made him the most feared and famous wrestling villain on the planet.” While Solomon argues that no one “lived and breathed the illusion” of pro wrestling like the Sheik, he works to dispel the myths around him, focusing on the years that came before Farhat’s worldwide fame—from the wave of immigration in the early 20th century that brought his parents to “the Lebanese enclave in suburban Detroit,” to his service in WWII and “Army wrestling pedigree” that led to his early career in the ring in 1947. In describing Farhat at the height of his popularity in the 1960s—when flashing images of obscene wealth and playing a “brutish foreigner” became part of his major gimmick—Solomon never overlooks Farhat’s astuteness as a marketer “play[ing] into American stereotypes of Eastern and Arabic culture to his great advantage.” But, at the same time, he doesn’t gloss over the “touchy subjects rarely discussed” about the wrestling legend’s history, including his marital infidelity and rampant drug use. Replete with eye-catching photos and meticulously researched, the narrative is as keen and captivating as its subject. This is a must-read for wrestling fans. (Apr.)