Blood and Fire

The Unbelievable Real-Life Story of Wrestling's Original Sheik

De: Brian R. Solomon

Narrado por: Brian R. Solomon

The captivating story of how The Sheik captured the imagination of a generation, conquered the wrestling business, and lost it all in a blaze of flame and glory

He was the most vicious, bloodthirsty, reviled villain in the history of the ring. During the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, he drew record crowds everywhere he went and left a trail of burned and bloody opponents in his wake. He was The Sheik: the mysterious and terrifying madman from Syria whose wanton destruction and mayhem are the stuff of wrestling legend. But what those legions of fans screaming for his head never knew was that The Sheik was really Eddie Farhat.

From Lansing, Michigan, and the son of Arab immigrants, Farhat served his country proudly in World War II and was fulfilling the American dream through hard work and tireless dedication to his craft. And when he wasn't screaming unintelligibly and attacking his enemies with sharp objects, he was busy being the owner and operator of World Wide Sports, one of the most successful wrestling companies in North America.

This is Blood and Fire: The Unbelievable Real-Life Story of Wrestling's Original Sheik.

©2022 Brian R. Solomon (P)2022 Tantor

An amazing story!

A beautifully written. well-read tribute. this is a fascinating story of a person who does not get their due for being a pioneer in the wrestling business.

The History of Wrestling

Loved the detailed history of wrestlings most elusive and controversial wrestlers. Goes really
In depth into not just his life but also the history of the territories.

Well researched.

If you're interested in old school wrestling I think you'll enjoy this book. I've listened to many wrestling podcasts and books and this book has a lot of new information. The original sheik was a character...

The best pro wrestling biography I've ever read

I've been very curious about The Sheik, but with his strict standards on never breaking character, it's hard to separate myth from man. This book is as comprehensive as it gets, even though Sheik's family chose not to participate.

It tells a story from growing up in the great depression to serving in WWII, and becoming a professional wrestler a few years after being discharged from the army. A 40 year career that went to the mid 90's, wrestling to his late 60's and giving everything his body had to the business.

It's a whose who of wrestling legends and it paints the most vivid picture I've heard of the wrestling territories of the NWA. The Sheik was a true legend and innovator, without him (for better or worse depending on the fan) we wouldn't have had Sabu, New Jack, or Nick Gage. They wouldn't have had the template, especially for keeping the business looking as real as possible.

I can't think of a better book about wrestling history, especially in its golden age, and to learn what it was like running an NWA territory in the 60's. This is a must own for any wrestling fan. It's more than blood and guts wrestling, it's history.

Great Book

If ur a fan. This is a must

Narrator/Author is great also

A must have

Impressive work & performance...

This is the new high water mark that I will hold all future biographies to... The audio performance as well.

Really appreciate the honesty during the times where the "truth" wasn't clear and we are given the possible sides, as to draw our own conclusions.

Now I'm really excited to hear the upcoming Gorilla Monsoon biography too.

In-Depth, Detailed, Informative

I can’t stress enough how amazing this book is! I even decided to buy paperback copies to have for my collection. Big ups to Brian!! Thanks for letting us in on the personal life of the most protected figure in the business.

The slow and steady build up and the equally rapid decline of his wrestling career and business

In a what have you done for me lately business this is a cautionary tale but comes later. A story that needed to be told and in such a compelling fashion.

Home run!!

This book goes into so much detail you would think it would be hard to follow…WRONG! Mr Solomon does an amazing job of telling a very complicated story in a manner that makes it easy to follow. Amazing research, fantastic storytelling. Right on par with the best wrestling authors of our time!

History of a Legend

Brian R Solomon is a true historian and a masterful storyteller. Blood and fire is one of the greatest if not most important pieces of wrestling history that spans over 50 years. The amount of work and effort put into this book bleeds from the pages and from Solomon’s words. For anyone who loves wrestling this is a must in your collection! For anyone who loves American history this is a must too. Greatest book on a single wrestler ever.