The Mysterious Case of Rudolf Diesel

Genius, Power, and Deception on the Eve of World War I

By: Douglas Brunt

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

The hidden history of one of the world’s greatest inventors, a man who disrupted the status quo and then disappeared into thin air on the eve of World War I—this book answers the hundred-year-old mystery of what really became of Rudolf Diesel.

September 29, 1913: the steamship Dresden is halfway between Belgium and England. On board is one of the most famous men in the world, Rudolf Diesel, whose new internal combustion engine is on the verge of revolutionizing global industry forever. But Diesel never arrives at his destination. He vanishes during the night and headlines around the world wonder if it was an accident, suicide, or murder.

After rising from an impoverished European childhood, Diesel had become a multi-millionaire with his powerful engine that does not require expensive petroleum-based fuel. In doing so, he became not only an international celebrity but also the enemy of two extremely powerful men: Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany and John D. Rockefeller, the founder of Standard Oil and the richest man in the world.

The Kaiser wanted the engine to power a fleet of submarines that would finally allow him to challenge Great Britain’s Royal Navy. But Diesel had intended for his engine to be used for the betterment of mankind and refused to keep the technology out of the hands of the British or any other nation. For John D. Rockefeller, the engine was nothing less than an existential threat to his vast and lucrative oil empire. As electric lighting began to replace kerosene lamps, Rockefeller’s bottom line depended on the world’s growing thirst for gasoline to power its automobiles and industries.

At the outset of this new age of electricity and oil, Europe stood on the precipice of war. Rudolf Diesel grew increasingly concerned about Germany’s rising nationalism and military spending. The inventor was on his way to London to establish a new company that would help Britain improve its failing submarine program when he disappeared.

Now, New York Times bestselling author Douglas Brunt reopens the case and provides an astonishing new conclusion about Diesel’s fate. “Equal parts Walter Isaacson and Sherlock Holmes, The Mysterious Case of Rudolf Diesel yanks back the curtain on the greatest caper of the 20th century in this riveting history” (Jay Winik, New York Times bestselling author).

©2023 Douglas Brunt (P)2023 Simon & Schuster Audio

Excellent

Well done and well read. Enjoy Scott Brick and the history of machines. If love history and mystery you’ll like this.

Worth Your Time, But ...

In many respects this is really a good book. Rudolf Diesel has largely been forgotten in the sands of time, and that really is not fair. He was an amazing scientist and Brunt makes the case convincingly that the diesel engine was a major scientific leap forward.

The history and context of the era are also well-done, as is the biographical sketch of Rudolf Diesel and his family.

Where the book may get off track is in its speculation about Rudolf's mysterious disappearance in 1913. I don't want to spoil the story, but will leave you to be the judge of that.

There are also some serious omissions. There were not "diesel submarines"--there were diesel electric submarines (still are) that operated with diesel engines on the surface and electric motors while submerged. The book also suggests that diesel engines burn very clean--and maybe they do compared to coal--but there is no mention of the recent emissions scandals. These are kind of glaring omissions in a book about a technical achievement, at least to me.

Great story!

The Mysterious Case of Rudolf Diesel:  Genius, Power, and Deception on the Eve of World War I.  Douglas Brunt.  Atria Books, 2023. 384 pages.


Like the author, Douglas Brunt, I initially knew next to nothing about Rudolf Diesel, what a diesel engine actually is, or how the invention of the engine was really one of the greatest technological advances in human development.  I also had no idea that Diesel's body was fished out of the North Sea in 1913.  He was on a steamship headed from Belgium to the UK when he mysteriously disappeared.  Was it an accident, suicide, or murder?  


Diesel's engine was absolutely revolutionary. It was powerful and efficient. It cut down on noxious fumes and smoke created by burning coal and traditional petroleum products. It could power factories and vehicles. It allowed for immediate starts.  It could be fueled by nut or vegetable oils. It transformed military and commercial navies, provided more power and speed, saved space once taken up by tons of coal, eliminated the need for many refueling stops and for the dozens of crewmen who were normally required to shovel coal, and making submarines more feasible.  All of these factors made Rudolf Diesel the leading engineering superstar of the late 1800s and early 1900s.  Did his engine also make him the target of a murder plot?


The chief suspects were very powerful men.  John D. Rockefeller saw the diesel engine as an existential threat to his business and to his fortune.  Kaiser Wilhelm II was determined to make Germany a world superpower, taking over the UK's supremacy.  Although his ancestral home and home for much of his life was Germany, Diesel preferred to think of himself as a "citizen of the world" rather than a German.  He worked to make his technology accessible in every country.  He was on his way to the UK to offer support to that country's growing submarine development program.  Did Rockefeller of Wilhelm decide to eliminate the engineer ?


Douglas Brunt's book is an excellent biography of Diesel, and it tells the story of the engine's development, both the science and the business, without bogging down into too much technical detail.  He explains the significance of the engine and expertly puts it into the context of the age, the eve of WWI, with great insights into the lives and personalities of Rockefeller and Wilhelm, with sketches of Edison, Ford, Marconi and others along the way.  Finally, he puts forward his own theory as to what happened.  I highly recommend this book.

I never knew

There is a lot of history here. I had no idea all these things happened the coincidences. It has been a great learning experience. Thank you, Gideon, Rosenberg, Georgia.

Amazing History

Thank you,
Great story, interesting, so much is lost in history that we never learn about.
It’s sad they’re pushing all electric vehicle that won’t work to get rid of petroleum products, when we already have a diesel engine that will run on corn oil or vegetable oil , no petroleum fuel needed. I guess that would be to simple.

What an amazing man who didn’t get credit for changing the world!

This book was really amazing regarding a titan of a many who doesn’t get any credit for his brilliance and for changing the world.

Not a huge non-fiction fan, but…

I thought this was a great engaging read! My daughter works for a large engine company and I bought her the book because I thought she would find it just as interesting!

Compelling story…

I had extra long dog walks thanks to Mr. diesel! I could not put the story down.

History contextualized for the audience

Well researched and written. Big return on a small investment of time. First experience with this author. Will look at his other works as a result of experiencing this one.

Brilliantly told historic novel

The author brilliantly lays out historical events in context that often eludes me in other books. He builds the puzzle for you, while keeping it fast-paced and entertaining. This is also my favorite Scott Brick performance.