I became a Pro Wrestling fan in 1988 in New York. The Sheik was only a name and a legend to me. I remember distinctly a boy in my class talking about his dad attending a show at Madison Square Garden in the late 1960's and telling us that the Sheik threw chairs, blew fire and stabbed people with pencils leading to a lifetime ban in New York City. This was only partially true but was exactly the type of mystique pro wrestling's greatest heel would have sought. As is often said, I knew that pro wrestling was fake but maybe the Sheik was real.
Blood and Fire: The Unbelievable Real-Life Story of Wrestling’s Original Sheik by Brian R. Solomon is as near perfect a pro wrestling book as has ever been written. While there are comparable books with deep research and insight into a specific wrestler or period of time, Blood and Fire documents a person who never wanted to be documented (and seemingly, neither did his family).
It is rare that a clear 'passion project' from an author meets the sophisticated polish and guidance of the ECW Press team. Other efforts done by passionate writers are often independently published and one has to forgive typos and lacking structures.
How does one document the life of wrestling's most mysterious villain? Research, persistence, fact checking and grit. The book traces the subject's roots in the middle east (surprise! he is not exactly who he purports to be) all the way through the later life. It is a roller coaster ride up to the drop and a stunning drop all the way to the bottom. I learned so many things about not only the Sheik but also the time period and the business of wrestling, especially the 1970's.
One challenge managed fairly well in the book is the Sheik's time in Japan. In a chapter dedicated to this effort, it reveals some parts of the domestic fate of Big Time Wrestling ahead of the next chapter, which can be a bit confusing to follow.
If there is one quibble it is that the foreshadowing tips the scales to becoming heavy handed in the first third of the book, "x person will play a bigger part in the sheik's life in later years...", that it almost becomes distracting.
This book is highly recommended for any fan of professional wrestling that wants to learn of a forgotten time period pre-1980's or even gain a deeper insight into Michigan during this time period.
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Lavie Margolin is a pro wrestling analyst and podcaster. Follow him on twitter via @Laviemarg. Email him via [email protected]
