Ryan Jacobs Books In Order

Publication Order of Ryan Jacobs Exposés Books

Ryan Jacobs is a published author and a journalist.

Jacobs has worked as an investigative reporter and has written for a variety of publications. These include Mother Jones, The Atlantic, the Pacific Standard, and more. He is the deputy editor for Pacific Standard and watches over the investigations desk for the magazine.

Prior to joining the magazine, Jacobs worked for the global channel of The Atlantic covering international crime. It was there that he did some reporting on the topic of one of the largest diamond heists in the history of France. He also covered scams when it comes to the international market on carbon as well as the trade of truffles and the darker side of that entire industry and several other topics.

Ryan Jacobs attended Northwestern University while being accepted to the Medill School of Journalism there. He graduated from the university summa cum laude.

Ryan Jacobs first became a published author with the release of his debut novel in 2019 from Clarkson Potter Publishers. The Truffle Underground is a nonfictional look at the real world trade of truffles and what really goes on behind the scenes when it comes to getting the truffle from the ground to the plate. It is an intriguing look at a market and very profitable area of commerce that most people would have no idea could be so dark and ruthless in its nature.

If you are looking for a book that is going to take you on a journey that you haven’t taken before, this is the perfect book for you. Whether you’re interested in anything about real life stories, love truffles and want to find out more, have an interest in nonfiction books, or just love intriguing tales that are more in depth and detailed than you could have ever imagined, then check out Ryan Jacobs’ debut novel and read in depth about a topic that this investigative reporter originally covered as a news story.

The Truffle Underground is an exciting book that takes the reader on an adventure through a world that is seldom glimpsed except by those who are a part of it. The truffle has a well established reputation as a delicacy, a highly prized luxury ingredient used by chefs and gourmet home chefs and enjoyed by connoisseurs and lovers of fine dining everywhere.

This is one of the most expensive luxury ingredients that you can prepare or eat in the entire world. However, everything that we eat has an origin point. It all has to start somewhere. Whether you are a farmer raising up pigs to become bacon or a fisherman catching fish in the ocean, there is usually a human connection on the other end to the things that we eat. So how does this ingredient get from the forest to the plate, as it were?

It’s a process that comes under close examination thanks to the expert knowledge and research done by Ryan Jacobs. The truffle may enter into some of the fanciest restaurants and Michelin star establishments throughout the entire world, but what is the truth of the truffle trade beyond the buyer and the ultimate final destination?

When it comes to supply, the story of how the truffle gets to the table can often be a lot more troubled than simply becoming part of an incredible pasta or appetizer to delight the palate. The truffle supply chain is one that can be very competitive and as a result sees its fair share of not so fair play.

Examining different aspects of this supply chain, the author finds that it is more often than not that secrecy, theft, sabotage, deception, and even fraud can come into the picture. The truffle is such a delicacy and people are willing to pay such high prices for it that it is easy to see why the path for obtaining and selling it can be fraught with peril.

It is not uncommon for farmers with fields hospitable to truffles protect their land jealously with their rifles, always fearing losing the secrets of their trade to those that would be spying on them. Truffle hunters may even take out the competition by using poisoned meatballs planted in the ground for hunting dogs that would be rivals for this treasure.

Sometimes it’s easier to take out the competition by playing dirty, and as a result, the truffle game is laced with low blows. Then there is the actual selling of the truffles, where it can be just as profitable to get away with selling a fake as it is a real one. New buyers that are naive to this process have to be careful not to be fooled. However, even those that are knowledgeable on the topic are at risk for being fooled.

Counterfeits and liars try their luck with passing off these fakes. The field is ultimately so profitable that it beckons those that want to profit off it illegally just as much as those that are happy to hunt their truffles and sell them at the market price. There is a lot of money to be made, and would appear to ultimately drive such underhanded actions at first glance.

Not everyone in the truffle market is corrupt, but this elegantly composed book by Ryan Jacobs takes you beyond the fine dining and the reputation of the truffle for an up close and personal exposition when it comes to what the market can involve.

The dark and even deadly crimes that go on at every step of the journey for the truffle are all detailed in this compelling book! A bold documentation of a trade and the people that make it up, this is an honest and interesting look at an industry that seemingly finds its foundation in cash.

Is it just about the money? Or is there more that draws so many individuals to these humble knobs, covered in dirt and difficult to find? It is a food that finds its rarity in its scarcity, and has a seductive reputation that is tough to match. It’s all written out perfectly in The Truffle Underground. Check out this book for yourself and see what you think!