About 110 years ago, Rudolf Diesel, the inventor of the Diesel engine, disappeared without a trace. His story unfortunately was lost to history until author Douglas Brunt, The Haverford School graduate, brought it to life, writes Amanda Smith for Billy Penn.

In his first nonfiction book, “The Mysterious Case of Rudolf Diesel: Genius, Power, and Deception on the Eve of World War,” he tells the story of how Diesel transformed the transportation and manufacturing industries with his invention.

Brunt explores how Diesel’s work might lead powerful men like oil magnate John D. Rockefeller and German Emperor Kaiser Wilhelm II to want him dead.

He compares the impact of Diesel’s disappearance on the world to what would happen if Elon Musk went missing today.

Brent suggests that not only did Diesel disappear, but his place in history was also diminished deliberately by those who wished him gone.

Read more about Douglas Brunt’s book on Rudolf Diesel at Billy Penn.

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