***NOW AVAILABLE, ONE OF MY TOP 10 BOOKS OF THE YEAR***. He seems like such a giving person. . A TODAY Show Read with Jenna Book Club Pick, A New York Times Notable Book, and Chosen by Oprah Daily, Time, NPR, The Washington Post and Barack Obamaas a Best Book of the Year, The bestselling author of A Gentleman in Moscow and Rules of Civility and master of absorbing, sophisticated fiction returns with a stylish and propulsive novel set in 1950s America. Set in June 1954 it follows brothers Emmett and Billy Watson who plan to leave their home in Nebraska, and travel along the Lincoln Highway, Americas first transcontinental highway, to San Francisco, where they hope to start a new life. This is a spoiler-filled discussion about the ending to The Lincoln Highway. But Emmett is concerned that Duchess will try and find them. A masterpiece! The Lincoln Highway Summary Set over the course of a transformative ten days in the 1950's, this story follows Emmett, an eighteen-year-old boy who has just been released from a juvenile work farm from only to find his old life is gonehis father is dead, his family home has been foreclosed, and his mother abandoned the family years ago. Reviewed in the United States on November 8, 2022. Unintended consequences: Emmett's story both begins and ends with unintended . Together, they have hatched an altogether different plan for Emmett's future, one that will take them all on a fateful journey in the opposite directionto the City of New York. The bestselling author of A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW and RULES OF CIVILITY and master of absorbing, sophisticated fiction returns with a stylish and propulsive novel set in 1950s America. He was determined that The Lincoln Highway should unfold over 10 days, though at 600 pages the first draft required 18 months, as did A Gentleman in Moscow. Oh, What a Book! But when the warden drives away, Emmett discovers that two friends from the work farm have hidden themselves in the trunk of the warden's car. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for The Lincoln Highway: A Novel by Amor Towles (2021, Hardcover) Like New at the best online prices at eBay! I felt like I was right there with them, every step of the adventure. Margaret M - Hiatus - I will respond when I can. I freely admit that some readers found his earlier books to be trivial and frivolous. At nearly 600 pages, The Lincoln Highway is remarkably brisk, remarkably buoyant. I am a fan of this author. Two you will want to take under your wing and adopt; one will leave you uneasy; and one just might have in him the stuff of heroism. Brilliant storytelling! (Spoilers), Book Club Questions for Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. But fate, in the form of a sympathetic but volatile character named Duchess, forces them to travel in the opposite direction before they can have a chance to start fresh in the West. Oh, What a Book! : His descriptions and perceptions are quite chewy, indeed. The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles review - an all-American road trip Two teenagers pursue a stolen car in this folksy 50s-set novel from the author of A Gentleman in Moscow Carrie O'Grady Wed. Emmett is dismayed when troublemaker Daniel "Duchess" Hewett and mentally and . Learn more. : I havent completely finished it yet but I couldnt wait to share my thoughts! The plot is set in 1950s America. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness. When they get up in the morning, theyre not looking to change the world. Please verify email address. The character of Woolly will remain with me. Ships from the UK. Full content visible, double tap to read brief content. This is their chance to leave behind Nebraska and its bad memories and try out California. A remarkable blend of sweetness and doom, [ The Lincoln Highway ] is packed with revelations about the American myth, the art of storytelling, and the unrelenting pull of history. Lisa Countdowns were also referred to . I truly loved this book and felt affection for each character. Th final element of the conclusion has an element of theft from the ending of "The Italian Job" but I think that can be forgiven. It's 592 pages long, but the story takes place over a period of only ten days. He picks California because it has 16 million people who need housing. An ode to reading, travel and the family we have, the family we make. Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout. Much to admire and enjoy. And in this book the last day in the book is the first day of summer! . I found them to be a delight. Towles is like no other author I know. For his latest, Towles has looked to the open road. I like to leave a novel with a good feeling. . . To add the following enhancements to your purchase, choose a different seller. The writing style is simplistic enough but full of detail and lets you understand each character in such a meaningful way. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 4, 2022, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 13, 2021, Amor Towles is one of the best authors of today, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 4, 2021. A masterpiece! But Emmett finds ways to overcome his temper. . The Lincoln Highway is a joyride. The book is permeated with so much light and darkness, with loss and hope, that it would have been wrong to write the ending differently. A remarkable blend of sweetness and doom, [ The Lincoln Highway ] is packed with revelations about the American myth, the art of storytelling, and the unrelenting pull of history. The Lincoln Highway is a true adventure novel, as the four boys traverse the country, coming upon one surprising obstacle after the next, and meeting a full cast of Mark Twainish characters like Pastor John, the derelict preacher who accosts young Billy in a freight car, and Ulysses, the physically imposing, African American, World War II . My favorite character is Billy, an eight-year-old who has endured abandonment by his mother and the death of his father. The Lincoln Highway: About the Book Click the image to expand A #1 New York Times Best Seller In June, 1954, eighteen-year-old Emmett Watson is driven home to Nebraska by the warden of the juvenile work farm where he has just served fifteen months for involuntary manslaughter. I was enchanted by this novel, not least by the way it so comprehensively dodges any attempt to consign it to a particular genre. , X-Ray this multiperspective story offers an abundance of surprising detours and run-ins., , a big book of camaraderie and adventure in which the miles fly by and the pages turn fast. History [and] adventure collide in The Lincoln Highway . Enthralling and life affirming with some epic qualities to the storytelling and characterisation. . Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! Towles writing style is recognisable and I cant wait to finish this book as well as hope theres more books in the making! Enter a new email. The 3 star plot was saved by the story telling. There's so much to enjoy in this generous novel packed with fantastic characters [] and filled with digressions, magic tricks, sorry sagas, retributions, and the messy business of balancing accounts., returns with an American picaresque destined to become a classic . will delight in this travelogue's touchstones." Star-Tribune "History [and] adventure collide in The Lincoln Highway . Full content visible, double tap to read brief content. Living in the big city, rushing around amid all that hammering and clamoring, the events of life can begin to seem random. We will never share or spam your email address. Towles writing style is recognisable and I cant wait to finish this book as well as hope theres more books in the making! Despite an almost total lack of sex, violence and foul language the book moves along at a compelling pace. Stir and let simmer another ten minutes. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 4, 2022. Oprah Daily, Time, NPR, The Washington Post, , Bill Gates and Barack Obamaas a Best Book of the Year, Wise and wildly entertaining . Delivery charges may apply. The Lincoln Highway allowed me to veer again in that the novel focuses on three eighteen-year-old boys on a journey in 1950s America that lasts only ten days. Conceived in 1912 by Indiana entrepreneur Carl G. Fisher, and formally dedicated October 31, 1913, the Lincoln Highway runs coast-to-coast from Times Square in New York City west to Lincoln Park in San Francisco, originally through 13 states: New York . Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them. The bestselling author of A Gentleman in Moscow and Rules of Civility and master of absorbing, sophisticated fiction returns with a stylish and propulsive novel set in 1950s America In June, 1954, eighteen-year-old Emmett Watson is driven home to Nebraska by the warden of the work farm where he has just served a year for involuntary manslaughter. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. He seems to be saying that our personal journeys are never as linear or predictable as an interstate highway. Deciding to make a fresh start, Emmett, and Billy plan to travel along the Lincoln Highway to California to locate their mother, who abandoned the family years earlier. Like the intercontinental route that it is named for, is long and filled with intriguing detours. Towles delicately links this harsh moral code to the boys isolation. That is until they meet up with two of Emmetts fellow inmates and now escapees; the dangerous swindler that is Duchess Hewitt and Woolly Martin, a man addicted to prescription medicine. He decides to leave Nebraska and drive to California with his younger brother Billy for a fresh start. But Duchess made a mess of everything. Enthralling and life affirming with some epic qualities to the storytelling and characterisation. Once again, I was wowed by Towless writingespecially because The Lincoln Highway is so different from A Gentleman in Moscow in terms of setting, plot, and themes. Interesting at first then the characters and story start to wander all over the place - and I don't just mean as they develop their journey. . , Word Wise An exhilarating ride through Americana.. ] Each of these young men is chasing his dreams, but their pastswhether violent or sadare never far behind. The Lincoln Highway is elegantly constructed and compulsively readable . The actors who lend their voices to the narrative are amazing. , File size I finished it last night on audio no wonder it was nominated for an Audie award - at midnight and had to wait until this morning to talk about the ending with my husband who was reading the print version (he finished it at 5:30 this morning having to also wait until I awoke at seven to talk about it). Click above for unlimited listening to select audiobooks, Audible Originals, and podcasts. Be sure to tell me your thoughts below! You Have Arrived at Your Destination (Forward collection), The Lincoln Highway in California: Across the Golden State from Nevada to San Francisco, Highways, The Lincoln Highway across Indiana (Images of America (Arcadia Publishing)). The Lincoln Highway (Paperback) Published October 5th 2021 by Hutchinson Heinemann First Australian Edition, Paperback, 576 pages more details Want to Read Rate this book 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars Lincoln Highway (Paperback) Published 2021 by Neri Pozza Bloom, Paperback, 634 pages more details Want to Read , Screen Reader The author keeps the story moving smoothly forward, despite the various tangents on which the action frequently departs. The Lincoln Highway ultimately is weighed down by Towles's own excellent past, as do characters drawn that, while interesting, were frequently hard to believe. There is a smattering of philosophy, a touch of Greek mythology and Shakespeare is not forgotten. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 20, 2021. Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2023. I just do!! Ive reread it a couple times and I dont believe Emmett purposely killed Duchess. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I've just finished The Lincoln Highway and found myself shedding a tear although I couldn't say why! Pour off most, but not all of the bacon fat. His mother long gone, his father recently deceased, and the family farm foreclosed upon by the bank . The Lincoln Highway is the first transcontinental highway in the United States and one of the first highways designed expressly for automobiles. Give as a gift or purchase for a team or group. Still catching up on books I finished this spring. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness. Bill may send you a welcome note or other exclusive Insider mail from time to time. Th final element of the conclusion has an element of theft from the ending of "The Italian Job" but I think that can be forgiven. 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