In "Rough Diamond: The Life of Col. William Stephen Hamilton, Alexander Hamilton's Forgotten Son," A.K. Fielding explains why understanding his life is essential to understanding the first half of the nineteenth century. Though his dad gets the attention for being one of the most famous and influential people in American history, Fielding argues that by understanding the relatively "average" life of Hamilton's sixth child, we are able to grapple with migration patterns, the impact of the powerful on the powerless, the economy, and even how political forces changed between the Founding generation and the decade before the Civil War. Col. William Stephen Hamilton tried his hand at politics, the military and mining, before winding up in California during the Gold Rush.

We also spent a lot of time discussing her path to publishing this book, the challenges the publishing industry presents to independent historians, and the sexism she encountered while shopping her proposal. She also explains why art is the perfect side hobby for a historian.

Her website is trehanstreasures.com

She is on social media at twitter.com/akfielding

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