Description
Brodie Leonidas Duke was born in 1846, the second son of Washington Duke and brother of James Buchanan Duke, the millionaire tobacco tycoon. At an early age, Brodie is traumatized by loss that molds him into the man he will become. In 1861, the Civil War begins and Washington and Brodie are forced to serve. Given Brodie’s slim stature, he is assigned to a prison camp in Salisbury, North Carolina. The horror that occurs on his watch brings Brodie to the brink of insanity.
Unable to return home, Brodie spends time farming tobacco while his father and siblings begin a small tobacco company. Brodie realizes that Durham has become a hub for tobacco manufacturing entrepreneurs and decides to open his own company.
Several years later, Washington and Brodie’s siblings join him in Durham and combine forces. Early on, it becomes clear that Brodie’s past and his brother Buck’s determination to run the company causes tension between the two brothers that will never be resolved.
Pushed out of the way, Brodie resorts to purchasing land and developing Durham. But even with a successful business and more money than he could ever need, this young man is unable to overcome the guilt from his past and finds himself drinking excessively.
Brodie finds love only for it to be taken away. Unstable and rash, Brodie makes decisions that lead him down a path of deceit and betrayal. And when it appears that Brodie will never know the peace he has desired his entire life, he meets a woman that changes his world.
Cora Darrah –
“Cora Darrah continues to blend archival research with imaginative storytelling in this page-turning work of historical fiction rooted in Durham’s past. I devoured Brodie Duke: The Man, the Myth, the Truth in a single sitting. Brodie has always been the Duke who most captured my curiosity, and this book did not disappoint. His life, marked by a roller coaster of tragedy, triumph, and scandal, had me flipping to confirm historic references again and again asking, “Wait, did that really happen?” Spoiler alert: it did. Darrah has a gift for bringing Durham’s industrial rise to life, with richly imagined scenes that illustrate buildings long lost to time creating a vivid, immersive read.”
-Julianne Patterson, Executive Director Preservation Durham
Cora Darrah –
“Cora masterfully brings Brodie L. Duke’s vibrant yet fragile and haunting journey to life. Her writing evokes the style of Michael Shaara and Geraldine Brooks, authors whose works transport readers back in time, exploring pivotal moments in American history through the personal narratives of those who lived them.
Cora’s deep knowledge of local history, along with her personal connections to Durham, infuses her novel with a distinctive sense of place. The city of Durham, the surrounding environment, and the legendary Duke family all emerge as characters in their own right. Brodie Duke’s story is undeniably complex, but Cora skillfully allows readers to form their own judgments about the man often referred to as the “Mayor of Durham.” This is a book not to be missed”
-Roger Peña, Duke University Librarian
Cora Darrah –
“Cora Darrah’s latest historical fiction, Brodie Duke: The Man, the Myth, the Truth, shines a light on the lesser-known life of Washington Duke’s son. Brodie—affectionately dubbed “The Mayor of Durham”—was the estranged half‑brother of James Buchanan Duke, the namesake of Duke University. In this novel, Darrah revitalizes Brodie’s story, portraying his life as a tumultuous mix of tragedy, mischief, and womanizing—yet driven by genuine affection for Durham and good intentions. Though fictional, the book provides a vivid window into how the Duke family built its tobacco empire and how Durham flourished in its wake. Through her engaging storytelling, Cora brings history itself to life.”
-William A. Hawkins III, Retired Chairman and CEO Medtronic, Duke Board of Trustees Emeritus
Cora Darrah –
“Cora Darrah’s book, Brodie Duke: The Man, the Myth, the Truth sets the standard of how this type of book should be written.”
-Dean Smith, Press Director of the Duke University Press
Cora Darrah –
“Brodie Duke: The Man, the Myth, the Truth characterized the Dukes in a manner that history supports. This book taught me so much about my great grandmother, Mary Elizabeth Duke Lyon. Thank you, Cora for the gift of revealing what a wonderful woman she was and the contribution she made to the Duke’s success.”
-Louise Pannill, Great Granddaughter of Mary Elizabeth Duke Lyon
Cora Darrah –
“As far back as I remember, I heard stories from family members about my great-great grandfather, Brodie Duke. Some brought laughter, and others brought tears. As an adult I became interested in researching him, hoping to gain insight into his life experiences and better understand him as a person. Along the way, I consistently ran into the same road block. Of the many books and articles I found written about the Duke family and the history of Durham, most skipped over Brodie’s accomplishments and generosity and focused on his alcohol problem and failed marriages. It always bothered me to see him labeled and dismissed, but I felt there was nothing I could do about it.
Recently, I was introduced to Cora Darrah and had the opportunity to read Brodie Duke: The Man, the Myth, the Truth. In this book, Cora tells the complete story of Brodie Duke and gives him a voice he never had. The sharp and successful businessman, the generous donor, the father and grandfather who tried his best and owned his faults and mistakes. A very sensitive soul who experienced significant loss from an early age, deeply affecting him and the life choices he made. The man who got back up every time he was knocked down. This is Brodie Duke– thank you , Cora, for giving him the gift of being seen and heard.”
-Ellie Parker, Great-great Granddaughter of Brodie Leonidas Duke