Follow the Pipelines

Uncovering the Mystery of a Lost Spy and the Deadly Politics of the Great Game for Oil

By: Charlotte Dennett

Narrated by: Tia Rider

In 1947, Daniel Dennett, America’s first master spy in the Middle East, was dispatched to Saudi Arabia to study the route of the proposed Trans-Arabian Pipeline. It would be his last assignment. On the way, a plane carrying him to Ethiopia went down, killing everyone on board. Today, Dennett is recognized by the CIA as a “fallen star” and is an important figure in US intelligence history. Yet the true story behind his death remains clouded in secrecy.

In The Crash of Flight 3804, investigative journalist Charlotte Dennett digs into her father’s counterintelligence work, which pitted him against America’s wartime allies - the British, the French, and the Russians - in a covert battle for geopolitical and economic influence in the Middle East. Through vivid storytelling, extensive research, and deep analysis of region-defining maps, she reveals how feverish competition among intelligence networks, military, and Big Oil interests have fueled indiscriminate attacks and targeted killings that continue to this day. By introducing the listener to all the major players, the audiobook delivers an irrefutable indictment of these devastating forces and how the brutal violence they incite has shaped the Middle East and birthed an era of endless wars.

Part personal pilgrimage, part detective story, Dennett’s insightful reportage and deft critique examines what happens to international relations when oil wealth hangs in the balance, shining a light on what so many have actually been dying for.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2020 Charlotte Dennett (P)2020 Chelsea Green Publishing

Critic reviews

“Charlotte Dennett has written an excellent book summarizing the geopolitics of the Middle East historically through to current events.... This is an amazing piece of historical writing.... Students, foreign affairs ‘experts’ and officials should have this work as required reading.” (Jim Miles, Palestine Chronicle)

“What makes the book so compelling is how much deeper and broader she digs than personal memoir.... Equal parts Thomas L. Friedman and Tom Clancy, the book is a remarkable achievement whose personalized insights on geopolitics are both gripping and sobering.” (Seven Days)

One of the greatest books ever!

Outstanding combination of history, excitement, engineering and how things work. No doubt Tom Friedman has read it but if not he better hurry. Shines some of the same kind of light he shines.

A People's History In Our Time

Among the many books about US role in Middle East wars that have spanned my lifetime, this book by Dennett shines with clarity, simplicity, and love for humanity. It is straightforward truth-telling wrapped in compassion. Unlike histories of this period that have left me feeling sad and hopeless, Dennett 's book carries an inspiring message that peace is possible and the pursuit of truth is the path to freedom.

Outstanding and eye opening book

Dennett has crafted an amazing story that peels back the layers of history and global intrigue behind the endless conflicts of the Middle East. By weaving a touching personal journey for answers to her fathers mysterious death in post-war Ethiopia, Dennett uncovers the massive, decades long struggle for energy supremacy among the worlds powerful capitalists and nations-states.

A must read for anyone with the slightest bit of curiosity regarding the tumultuous Middle East and the western powers near-constant involvement in these ongoing conflicts. For anyone who wonders “why are we there- again?” this book gives the sobering answers.

I believe this would make an incredible mini-series if any producer was brave enough to do it. A guaranteed hit for sure.

Best read on this topic

The author has gone through a tremendous amount of research that took years in order for her to collect so much information on the secret history and politics of pipelines. I originally come from Lebanon and I’m so impressed by the accuracy of her discerption of the Middle East & muslim world. Extremely well done thank you, Charlotte Dennett.

Expected a serious book especially with that title

I didn’t know if this was a biography or a book about geopolitics and pipelines. Author spends too much time about herself and father. A lot of time spent on personal feelings of virtue and self righteousness. Author even discussing her honesty since childhood. Unnecessary. Also includes highly partisan political jabs as well. Again, unnecessary.

I was expecting to hear and learn more about geopolitics and finance side of pipelines(some inside baseball) but the author came short. Not a serious book.

Terrible book

As someone who’s probably on the 50th book pertaining to this subject matter, this particular amalgamation of the authors pet theories as to what was happening doesn’t hold up against the other more credible accounts of history.