Welcome!
William Earl Layman and Marie Little Layman
Podcast on "When the Rivers Flowed"
Fred Sauceman's May 2024 interview with Marilyn Mascaro about When the Rivers Flowed. This podcast, "Vital Voices," is found on radio station WETS from East Tennessee State University. Please click the link below.
Print Reviews for "When the Rivers Flowed"
Reviewed by Edith Wairimu for Readers’ Favorite. 5 stars
"With masterly skill, Marilyn Layman Mascaro brings to life the events that shaped Knoxville and America during the early twentieth century. Earl and Marie are incredible characters with inspiring grit and determination....Mascaro’s storytelling is vivid, allowing readers to travel to 1920s bustling Knoxville and experience the scenes and sights of the city. When the Rivers Flowed is a brilliant work with important historical information that skillfully chronicles the lives of its compelling main characters.
Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers’ Favorite 5 stars
Appalachia has long been misrepresented in the news media, film, and literature, and so it was extremely refreshing to read When the Rivers Flowed by Marilyn Layman Mascaro to get a true account. Mascaro brings so much more of her family history into her work, and ultimately, it was the race riots and the Great Depression among an already impoverished class that stood out for me.
Reviewed by Amy Raines of Reader's Favorite 5 stars
"When the Rivers Flowed is a beautifully told story about life in the early 1900s and how the war, prejudice, and constant economic burdens affected their way of life. It goes without saying that building a family during these times would have been all but impossible, yet Marilyn Layman Mascaro’s story clearly shows how difficult times can bring out the best in people in trying times. I truly enjoyed reading about how life was during this era and how this family held onto their morals and their pride and pressed on no matter how difficult things were. I recommend When The Rivers Flowed to anyone who loves reading about historical events that can only be told from the personal perspective of those who lived through them."
Photo credit: LANDON MONDAY 2022
When the Rivers Flowed focuses on W. Earl Layman, Marie Little Layman and Knoxville, Tennessee. Earl's experiences the town's riot of 1919 and Marie works at Sterchie's Furniture Store, a hotspot for early county music. From University of Tennessee football to the opening of the Tennessee Theatre and the challenging depression years, events in Earl and Marie's lives reflect those of the city.