Raw Deal: Hidden Corruption, Corporate Greed, and the Fight for the Future of Meat

Debut author Sorvino, herself a meat eater only if she knows the conditions of an animal’s life and slaughter, convincingly argues for change in an industry she’s reported on for a decade. Leading coverage of agriculture, food, and drink at Forbes has given Sorvino a commanding knowledge of big meat’s viscerally entangled supply chains, political muscle, and the steady beat of expansion and return on investment that keeps the money flowing. She carves a complex subject into frank revelations about the meat supply’s history and probable future under climate change, all well supported with statistics and insider interviews. Of interest to vegetarians and vegans, the book scrutinizes the promises and practices of meat alternative companies Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat, evaluating the plant-based boom’s actual environmental benefit. Allyson Ryan narrates with superb pacing and taps into Sorvino’s arresting tone as she describes experiences ranging from visiting an abattoir and eating a 32 oz. steak on the same day, to starting her own countertop meat-substitute mycoculture.