We’re excited to present a series of blog posts that will introduce readers to our talented authors and the books they’ve written, as well as learn about their motivations to write them and their creative and research processes.
Next, we have Thomas Aud, author of Gold is the Key - Murder, Robbery, and the Gold Rush in Jackson, Tennessee. Mr. Aud is Archivist for the Madison County Archives in Jackson, Tennessee.
Q. Why did you choose to write about the discovery of the gold coins in Jackson and the story behind it?
I have always been interested in mysteries, especially unsolved ones, and since the 1859 bank robbery was so violent and so dramatic, I became very intrigued about learning more about the event and the times in Jackson.
Q. How long has it taken for you to research and write it?
A. I began the research after the gold coins were found on the West Main Street Parking lot in September 1985 but did more intensive research and writing of the book after retiring in late 2006.
Q. Can you tell us a few interesting discoveries you made in your research?
A. Interesting discoveries included the letters to and from the victim of the 1859 crimes, theories posed by many others including Alan Pinkerton, etc.
Q. What does your book offer that no other book or publication has before?
A. No other book goes into as much detail about the life and times of several citizens of Jackson in the 1850s and the details about the crime and the gold coin discovery. Also the inclusion of genealogies of several individuals add to the historical value of the work.
Q. How has your book been received since it was first published in 2012 and the second edition in 2014?
A. The first edition was very well received, especially with the initial promotions of it at the Friends of the Library Noontime Series, at talks to historical groups, etc. The second edition has intrigued many with the comparative novella by Pinkerton.
Gold is the Key - Murder, Robbery, and the Gold Rush in Jackson, Tennessee, is available through our website and locally at Something to Read at 215 Main Street in Jackson, Tennessee.
