The Mysterious Case of Rudolf Diesel

On September 29, 1913, the New York Times led with the headline that Rudolf Diesel – multi-millionaire inventor of the diesel engine and international superstar in the scientific community – had disappeared of a passenger ship crossing from Belgium to England and was presumed dead. Since Diesel’s disappearance, the world has assumed one of three outcomes: there was an accident, he committed suicide, or he was murdered, with high profile players such as Kaiser Wilhelm and John D. Rockefeller in the line of accusation. 

Now, New York Times bestselling author and historian Douglas Brunt reopens the hundred-year-old mystery of what really became of Rudolf Diesel in his new book The Mysterious Case of Rudolf Diesel: Genius, Power, and Deception on the Eve of World War One. Perfect for fans of Erik Larson, Brunt expertly weaves history with intrigue while presenting a new theory on Diesel’s disappearance. 

*This is a virtual event.