The MeatEater Podcast
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The MeatEater Podcast

Building on the belief that a deeper understanding of the natural world enriches all of our lives, host Steven Rinella brings an in-depth and relevant look at all outdoor topics including hunting, fishing, nature, conservation, and wild foods. Filled with humor, irreverence, and things that will sur...

Episodes 710
Books 414

Recently mentioned

Latest Recommendations

True Grit: A Novel cover

True Grit

Charles Portis

Mentioned 5 months ago

Ep. 833: Game On, Suckers! MeatEater Trivia CCIII

A character in the novel reportedly had an injury and stated something swelled up tighter than Dick's hat band.

Do you know what Charles Portis' novel, True Grit? A guy says... Someone has an injury. I can't remember if he gets bit by a snake. And he says it's swelled up tighter than Dick's hat band.

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The Free and the Dead: The Untold Story of the Black Seminole Chief, the Indigenous Rebel, and America's Forgotten War cover

The Free and the Dead

Jamie Holmes

Mentioned 5 months ago

Ep. 832: Osceola, Native American Slavery, and The Seminole Wars

This was Jamie Holmes's third book and it was about the Seminole Wars, focusing on complexity that turned preconceived notions about the war on their head. The book featured deep archival research, leading to a very extensive notes section that was almost as long as the book itself.

His third book's out. Just out. I'm holding my hand here. It's called The Free and the Dead, The Untold Story of the Black Seminole Chief, The Indigenous Rebel, and America's Forgotten War.

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12 Seconds Of Silence: How a Team of Inventors, Tinkerers, and Spies Took Down a Nazi Superweapon cover

12 Seconds Of Silence

Jamie Holmes

Mentioned 5 months ago

Ep. 832: Osceola, Native American Slavery, and The Seminole Wars

This was Jamie Holmes's second book, which focused on World War II and a group of scientists who invented a new weapon to shoot down airplanes, which they used successfully against a Nazi super weapon. He fell in love with archive work while researching this book, which served as a bridge from his first book on science to his third.

The bridge is my second book, which is 12 seconds of silence, which is completely within this genre, which is historical narrative nonfiction with a ton of archive work.

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The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald cover

The Gales of November

John U. Bacon

Mentioned 5 months ago

Ep. 826: Like Nuts on a Cat

The book about the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald was mentioned as an example of the type of content that would appear in the new interview show format of the podcast.

recently we had on a guy talking about his book about the Edmund Fitzgerald. Okay. For instance, that which is called the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald. That's the interview show.

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Bobcat of North America (Wildlife Management Institute Classics) cover

Bobcat of North America (Wildlife Management Institute Classics)

Stanley P. Young

Mentioned 5 months ago

Ep. 826: Like Nuts on a Cat

A book about bobcats from 1960 was mentioned as containing interesting historical information about the animal, despite lacking modern collaring data.

I've got a very interesting book for you. I was going to bring it on this trip, but I forgot it. And the title of it is the Bobcat of North America.

Buy on Amazon
The Interpretation of Cultures: Selected Essays cover

The Interpretation of Cultures

Clifford Geertz

Mentioned 1 year ago

Ep. 607: MeatEater Radio Live! Whitetail Buck Beds, Deer Sex, and Mauled By a Black Bear

The podcast host used an excerpt from this book's essay "Deep Play: Notes on the Balinese Cockfight" to compare the cultural significance of Balinese cockfighting to the deer hunting traditions depicted in the movie *Escanaba in the Moonlight*. The essay discusses how seemingly irrational behaviors can hold profound meaning within a cultural context.

What sets deer hunting apart from the ordinary course of life lifts it from the realm of everyday practical affairs and surrounds it with an aura of enlarged importance is not, as a functionalist society would have it, that it reinforces status, but that it provides a metasocial commentary upon the whole matter of assorting human beings into fixed hierarchical ranks and then organizing the major part of collective existence around that assortment.

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MeatEater's Wild + Whole: Seasonal Recipes for the Conscious Cook: A Wild Game Cookbook cover

MeatEater's Wild + Whole

Danielle Prewett

Mentioned 1 year ago

Ep. 604: MeatEater Radio Live! An Alaska Moose Hunt, Utah Wants Your Land, and Buffalo Scapulas

This cookbook, an ode to seasonal cooking with wild and foraged ingredients, was described as containing over 80 recipes inspired by ingredients one can hunt, fish, forage, or grow. It was praised for its accessible recipes and beautiful, full-color photographs.

We've got a new book coming out in the meat eater universe, and for the first time, it is not one of mine.

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Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson and the Opening of the American West: Meriwether Lewis Thomas Jefferson and the Opening cover

Undaunted Courage

Stephen E. Ambrose

Mentioned 1 year ago

Ep. 597: Game On, Suckers! MeatEater Trivia CXXIX

It was discussed as a New York Times bestseller about Lewis and Clark, selling over 200,000 copies in its first month, and a planned HBO series based on it was canceled.

What is the name of the New York Times bestseller about Lewis and Clark that was written by Stephen Ambrose?

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The MeatEater Fish and Game Cookbook: Recipes and Techniques for Every Hunter and Angler cover

The MeatEater Fish and Game Cookbook

Steven Rinella

Mentioned 1 year ago

Ep. 594: Game On, Suckers! MeatEater Trivia CXXVIII

This cookbook contains over 80 recipes that use ingredients one can hunt, fish, forage, or grow in their garden, often pairing ingredients from different seasons; it is described as having gorgeous, full-color photographs.

MeatEater's Wild and Hole. Seasonal recipes for the conscious cook

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The MeatEater Outdoor Cookbook: Wild Game Recipes for the Grill, Smoker, Campstove, and Campfire cover

The MeatEater Outdoor Cookbook

Steven Rinella

Mentioned 1 year ago

Ep. 598: MeatEater Radio Live! A Salmon Smokehouse, Killer Jerky, and the 6th Biggest Yukon Moose

The MeatEater Outdoor Cookbook was referenced when discussing a cola ancho jerky recipe, which was made in a dehydrator instead of a smoker and also featured Kashmiri chili powder instead of ancho chili.

So I went to the new Meter Outdoor Cookbook and went to Cola Ancho Jerky.

Buy on Amazon
Wild Country (World of the Others, The) cover

Wild Country (World of the Others, The)

Anne Bishop

Mentioned 1 year ago

Ep. 588: Game On, Suckers! MeatEater Trivia CXXVI

It was mentioned that Mark Kenyon may have learned about the Jefferson and Madison Rivers from writing this book.

Learned this from writing his book that wild country.

Buy on Amazon
Night of the Grizzlies cover

Night of the Grizzlies

Jack Olsen

Mentioned 1 year ago

Ep. 585: Game On, Suckers! MeatEater Trivia CXXV

This 1969 book, originally a three-part article in *Sports Illustrated*, details the fatal maulings of two young women in Glacier National Park.

Most Recommended

North American Tree Squirrels Cover

Michael A. Steele

North American Tree Squirrels

The podcast guest recommended this book as a good resource for learning about squirrels. It covers topics such as scent marking, nesting behavior, and social behavior, including those with only a few documented cases.

"

North American Tree Squirrels, a lot of these, uh, topics we've talked about. One of the great things about them is that they're not just about topics we've talked about. One of the g...

— Episode: Ep. 259: The Squirrel Doctor Is In

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Ep. 259: The Squirrel Doctor Is In

The podcast guest recommended this book as a good resource for learning about squirrels. It covers topics such as scent marking, nesting behavior, and social behavior, including those with only a few documented cases.

"

North American Tree Squirrels, a lot of these, uh, topics we've talked about. One of the great things about them is that they're not just about topics we've talked about. One of the great things about writing a book like that is those few, those observations where you only have a couple of cases of them, you can weave them into a book more than you get a scientific publication out of it. So North American Tree Squirrels has a bunch of these kinds of things.

International Wildlife Management: Conservation Challenges in a Changing World (Wildlife Management and Conservation) Cover

John L. Koprowski

International Wildlife Management

Conservation Challenges in a Changing World (Wildlife Management and Conservation)

This book covers wildlife management broadly, with some mentions of squirrels.

"

And most recently, the book I shared with you is, um, International Wildlife Management that, uh, looks at things broadly, but there are a few squirrel mentions in there.

— Episode: Ep. 259: The Squirrel Doctor Is In

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Ep. 259: The Squirrel Doctor Is In

This book covers wildlife management broadly, with some mentions of squirrels.

"

And most recently, the book I shared with you is, um, International Wildlife Management that, uh, looks at things broadly, but there are a few squirrel mentions in there.

The Complete Guide to Hunting, Butchering, and Cooking Wild Game: Volume 1: Big Game Cover

Steven Rinella

The Complete Guide to Hunting, Butchering, and Cooking Wild Game

Volume 1

This cookbook was stored in an antique book press and lost in a fire.

"

In that book press was the meat eater cookbook, volume one and volume two of the tips and tactics book.

— Episode: Ep. 256: When They Come To Burn Your Hou...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Ep. 256: When They Come To Burn Your House Down

This cookbook was stored in an antique book press and lost in a fire.

"

In that book press was the meat eater cookbook, volume one and volume two of the tips and tactics book.

The Complete Guide to Hunting, Butchering, and Cooking Wild Game: Volume 2: Small Game and Fowl Cover

Steven Rinella

The Complete Guide to Hunting, Butchering, and Cooking Wild Game

Volume 2

This cookbook was stored in an antique book press and lost in a fire.

"

In that book press was the meat eater cookbook, volume one and volume two of the tips and tactics book.

— Episode: Ep. 256: When They Come To Burn Your Hou...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Ep. 256: When They Come To Burn Your House Down

This cookbook was stored in an antique book press and lost in a fire.

"

In that book press was the meat eater cookbook, volume one and volume two of the tips and tactics book.

The Handbook of Mummy Studies: New Frontiers in Scientific and Cultural Perspectives Cover

Dong Hoon Shin

The Handbook of Mummy Studies

New Frontiers in Scientific and Cultural Perspectives

The podcast discussed a forthcoming book about mummy studies that would detail the case of a man who died from constipation 1000-1400 years ago. The book was highly anticipated by one of the podcasters.

"

This is going to be detailed in a forthcoming book called The Handbook of Mummy Studies. And if you think I'll not be buying The Handbook of Mummy Studies, you are wr...

— Episode: Ep. 255: Never Pass Up on the First Day...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Ep. 255: Never Pass Up on the First Day What You'd...

The podcast discussed a forthcoming book about mummy studies that would detail the case of a man who died from constipation 1000-1400 years ago. The book was highly anticipated by one of the podcasters.

"

This is going to be detailed in a forthcoming book called The Handbook of Mummy Studies. And if you think I'll not be buying The Handbook of Mummy Studies, you are wrong.

guess what that bad boy's coming in at it's free delivery on prime. 24, 99 hardcover is $449.99. Oddly the paperback is $699.99 to pre-order it.

Beast of Never, Cat of God: The Search for the Eastern Puma Cover

Bob Butz

Beast of Never, Cat of God

The Search for the Eastern Puma

One podcaster mentioned a book about a man's obsession with mountain lions in Michigan, implying the book is non-fiction and the obsession was ultimately validated by later mountain lion sightings in the area.

"

This dude in my home state wrote this book, Beast of Never Cat a God. I think it was what the book was called, but it was about him getting all obsessed with mountain lions in Michigan, which wound up...

— Episode: Ep. 255: Never Pass Up on the First Day...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Ep. 255: Never Pass Up on the First Day What You'd...

One podcaster mentioned a book about a man's obsession with mountain lions in Michigan, implying the book is non-fiction and the obsession was ultimately validated by later mountain lion sightings in the area.

"

This dude in my home state wrote this book, Beast of Never Cat a God. I think it was what the book was called, but it was about him getting all obsessed with mountain lions in Michigan, which wound up not being bullshit.

Blood and Treasure: Daniel Boone and the Fight for America's First Frontier Cover

Bob Drury

Blood and Treasure

Daniel Boone and the Fight for America's First Frontier

The podcast host mentioned Robert Morgan's biography of Daniel Boone as the best one he's read. It was referenced in relation to a discussion about making gunpowder and early American hunting practices.

"

The guy by the last name of Morgan wrote the best Boone biography.

— Episode: Ep. 247: The Miss and the Return

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Episode: Ep. 247: The Miss and the Return

The podcast host mentioned Robert Morgan's biography of Daniel Boone as the best one he's read. It was referenced in relation to a discussion about making gunpowder and early American hunting practices.

"

The guy by the last name of Morgan wrote the best Boone biography.

The Ultimate Book of Everyday Knots Cover

Geoffrey Budworth

The Ultimate Book of Everyday Knots

The podcast guest recalled reading these books as a youth and being puzzled by mentions of ocelots in the trapping sections.

"

And I remember I would always be like, what in the hell? Because you would see they'd have a section now and then on catching, and it would mention an ocelot.

— Episode: Ep. 243: Boggeying in the Brushworld

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Episode: Ep. 243: Boggeying in the Brushworld

The podcast guest recalled reading these books as a youth and being puzzled by mentions of ocelots in the trapping sections.

"

And I remember I would always be like, what in the hell? Because you would see they'd have a section now and then on catching, and it would mention an ocelot.

Well, we may have looked at the same trapping book. I had this one book in the early 1980s and it had a chapter on trapping ocelots. And it's the only one I've ever seen.

Gentlemen, Swords and Pistols Cover

Harnett T. Kane

Gentlemen, Swords and Pistols

The musician Taylor McCall mentioned reading "Gentlemen, Swords and Pistols", which inspired him to write a song about a soldier returning from war to find his wife deceased. The book title sparked his creative process, transforming the book's theme into a song's narrative.

"

I picked up a book and the title of the book was Gentlemen, Swords and Pistols And that spiraled into this whole song about that

— Episode: Ep. 242: Steep Dark Timber

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Ep. 242: Steep Dark Timber

The musician Taylor McCall mentioned reading "Gentlemen, Swords and Pistols", which inspired him to write a song about a soldier returning from war to find his wife deceased. The book title sparked his creative process, transforming the book's theme into a song's narrative.

"

I picked up a book and the title of the book was Gentlemen, Swords and Pistols And that spiraled into this whole song about that

Singing in the WILDERNESS Cover

Luana Stoltenberg

Singing in the WILDERNESS

It was mentioned as the oldest written source the podcast host could find referencing the myth of pine squirrels biting the nuts off other squirrels. A chapter was dedicated to red squirrels, and the author's account of this myth was discussed.

"

1956, In the Singing Wilderness. This is the oldest written source that I could track down of it.

— Episode: Ep. 240: Good Myths Die Hard

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Episode: Ep. 240: Good Myths Die Hard

It was mentioned as the oldest written source the podcast host could find referencing the myth of pine squirrels biting the nuts off other squirrels. A chapter was dedicated to red squirrels, and the author's account of this myth was discussed.

"

1956, In the Singing Wilderness. This is the oldest written source that I could track down of it.

The book was inspired by Lake Superior's beauty and it had a whole chapter. And who's the author? Dedicated to red squirrels. It was written by Sigurd Olson.

He had a whole chapter dedicated to red squirrels. And in that chapter he said, I also know that owls like them as well as martins. And that they can throw the fear of death into the larger gray squirrels should they invade through the convenient medium of castration.

The Carnivore Code: Unlocking the Secrets to Optimal Health by Returning to Our Ancestral Diet Cover

Paul Saladino MD

The Carnivore Code

Unlocking the Secrets to Optimal Health by Returning to Our Ancestral Diet

Dr. Saladino discussed his book, mentioning that it details the unique nutrients found in animal products, which are difficult to find elsewhere, and explores the reasons behind the vilification of meat in recent decades.

"

one of the most striking things that I've encountered in writing this book, The Carnivore Code, we'll talk about it today, is that, hey, a lot of the nutrients that you find when you'...

— Episode: Ep. 239: Kale Does Not Love You Back

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Episode: Ep. 239: Kale Does Not Love You Back

Dr. Saladino discussed his book, mentioning that it details the unique nutrients found in animal products, which are difficult to find elsewhere, and explores the reasons behind the vilification of meat in recent decades.

"

one of the most striking things that I've encountered in writing this book, The Carnivore Code, we'll talk about it today, is that, hey, a lot of the nutrients that you find when you're eating animal meat and organs are pretty difficult to find elsewhere in our diets

in the book, in The Carnivore Code, I break down, why have we been told that meat is not bad, not good for us?

in the book I've created a broad strokes perspective on what I believe are more and less toxic plants.

the thesis that I advance or the hypothesis, what I'm saying in The Carnivore Code with this idea is, look, eating animal foods made us human.

So I really think that our blueprint as humans is in stark contrast to what we've been told today. It's not kale that's the superfood. It's the animal foods that are the superfoods.

The Complete Guide to Surfcasting Cover

Joe Cermele

The Complete Guide to Surfcasting

Steven Rinella mentioned learning a lot about surfcasting from Joe Cermele's book. He did not elaborate further on the content.

"

Steve learned a lot about surf casting from Joe Cermele's book

— Episode: Ep. 238: The Star of the Redneck Riviera

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Ep. 238: The Star of the Redneck Riviera

Steven Rinella mentioned learning a lot about surfcasting from Joe Cermele's book. He did not elaborate further on the content.

"

Steve learned a lot about surf casting from Joe Cermele's book

Smallmouth Bass Fishing for Everyone: How to Catch the Hardest Fighting Fish That Swims Cover

James Root

Smallmouth Bass Fishing for Everyone

How to Catch the Hardest Fighting Fish That Swims

It was mentioned that a book about fishing river smallmouth exists; however, no specific details were provided about its content or author.

"

Do you know that there's an East Coast dude, he's got a book like Fishing River Small Mouth and Fishing Stream Small Mouth?

— Episode: Ep. 238: The Star of the Redneck Riviera

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Ep. 238: The Star of the Redneck Riviera

It was mentioned that a book about fishing river smallmouth exists; however, no specific details were provided about its content or author.

"

Do you know that there's an East Coast dude, he's got a book like Fishing River Small Mouth and Fishing Stream Small Mouth?

Stream Smallmouth Fishing Cover

Tim Holschlag

Stream Smallmouth Fishing

The existence of this book on stream smallmouth fishing was mentioned, but details regarding its content and author were not given.

"

Do you know that there's an East Coast dude, he's got a book like Fishing River Small Mouth and Fishing Stream Small Mouth?

— Episode: Ep. 238: The Star of the Redneck Riviera

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Ep. 238: The Star of the Redneck Riviera

The existence of this book on stream smallmouth fishing was mentioned, but details regarding its content and author were not given.

"

Do you know that there's an East Coast dude, he's got a book like Fishing River Small Mouth and Fishing Stream Small Mouth?

Never Cry Wolf Cover

Farley Mowat

Never Cry Wolf

Steven Rinella mentioned an interesting caribou fact from one of Farley Mowat's books. The fact concerned the Eskimo's consumption of caribou parts.

"

I got interesting Caribou related fact for you. Oh, you mean his like classic Never Cry Wolf? No, not the deer people. The deer people. Yeah. So that guy wrote like 24 books. I've rea...

— Episode: Ep. 238: The Star of the Redneck Riviera

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Ep. 238: The Star of the Redneck Riviera

Steven Rinella mentioned an interesting caribou fact from one of Farley Mowat's books. The fact concerned the Eskimo's consumption of caribou parts.

"

I got interesting Caribou related fact for you. Oh, you mean his like classic Never Cry Wolf? No, not the deer people. The deer people. Yeah. So that guy wrote like 24 books. I've read a hand. It's so funny. They just like fall in your lap every 10 years or so. That's the way it's been for me anyway.

The Revenant: A Novel of Revenge Cover

Michael Punke

The Revenant

A Novel of Revenge

It was discussed at length, focusing on its historical accuracy and the author's own feelings about the movie adaptation. The author also mentioned the book's non-Hollywood ending, contrasting it with the movie's altered conclusion.

"

I have pretty thick skin and I'm happy to talk about The Revenant and I'll say good things about it first because there's a lot of reasons why I'm happy that movie got made.

— Episode: Ep. 236: Crawling Back from the Dead wit...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Ep. 236: Crawling Back from the Dead with Michael...

It was discussed at length, focusing on its historical accuracy and the author's own feelings about the movie adaptation. The author also mentioned the book's non-Hollywood ending, contrasting it with the movie's altered conclusion.

"

I have pretty thick skin and I'm happy to talk about The Revenant and I'll say good things about it first because there's a lot of reasons why I'm happy that movie got made.

But you know, but there's, I've got my own qualms with, as a historian and somebody who cares about history, I've got my nits to pick with The Revenant, but let me be clear.

In reading The Revenant, you solved for me a thing I never understood. And it was a detail that I really appreciated because I like details.

In reading The Revenant, the thing I really appreciate it was- I knew you were going to come around to this.

watching your book being made into a movie is like watching an oxen turned into a bullion cube.

Last Stand: The Complete Four-Book Box Set (A Post-Apocalyptic, EMP-Survival Thriller) Cover

William H. Weber

Last Stand

The Complete Four-Book Box Set (A Post-Apocalyptic, EMP-Survival Thriller)

The book focuses on George Bird Grinnell, a 19th-century conservationist and hunter. It explores Grinnell's significant role in the American conservation movement and the preservation of the American bison.

"

I want to get into the reprint of Last Stand.

— Episode: Ep. 236: Crawling Back from the Dead wit...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Ep. 236: Crawling Back from the Dead with Michael...

The book focuses on George Bird Grinnell, a 19th-century conservationist and hunter. It explores Grinnell's significant role in the American conservation movement and the preservation of the American bison.

"

I want to get into the reprint of Last Stand.

The Hunter Chef Cookbook: Hunt, Fish, and Forage in Over 100 Recipes Cover

Michael Hunter

The Hunter Chef Cookbook

Hunt, Fish, and Forage in Over 100 Recipes

It is a cookbook about hunting, foraging, and cooking wild food. The author discussed his experiences with the book's creation, including illegal game dinners and the resulting media attention.

"

I've only ever pickled those. Mm-hmm. What are you gonna do with them?

— Episode: Ep. 228: Venison is the New Kale

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Ep. 228: Venison is the New Kale

It is a cookbook about hunting, foraging, and cooking wild food. The author discussed his experiences with the book's creation, including illegal game dinners and the resulting media attention.

"

I've only ever pickled those. Mm-hmm. What are you gonna do with them?

I think I'm just going to saute them in a pan with a little olive oil.

when I was reading your bio with your cookbook that's coming out, I didn't realize how early you got started cooking.

So the cookbook was actually what started the restaurant.

There's a hundred recipes.

Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil Cover

Tom Mueller

Extra Virginity

The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil

It was mentioned in passing as a book about the olive oil industry and fraudulent practices within it. The speaker mentioned reading it recently.

"

I recently read a book called Extra Virginity and it was about the scandalous world of olive oil and how it's like rampant to take a ten dollar bottle of olive oil and put a five hund...

— Episode: Ep. 227: Red Cutter

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Ep. 227: Red Cutter

It was mentioned in passing as a book about the olive oil industry and fraudulent practices within it. The speaker mentioned reading it recently.

"

I recently read a book called Extra Virginity and it was about the scandalous world of olive oil and how it's like rampant to take a ten dollar bottle of olive oil and put a five hundred dollar price tag on it, a five hundred dollar label.

Note: The book recommendations on this page are discovered automatically from podcast transcripts, and may be incorrect or incomplete.