Viking
The Lincoln Highway: A Read with Jenna Pick
Couldn't load pickup availability
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
More than ONE MILLION copies sold
A TODAY Show Read with Jenna Book Club Pick
A New York Times Notable Book, a New York Times Readers' Choice Best Book of the Century, and Chosen by Oprah Daily, Time, NPR, The Washington Post, Bill Gates and Barack Obama as a Best Book of the Year
"Wise and wildly entertaining . . . permeated with light, wit, youth." --The New York Times Book Review
"A classic that we will read for years to come." --Jenna Bush Hager, Read with Jenna book club
"Fantastic. Set in 1954, Towles uses the story of two brothers to show that our personal journeys are never as linear or predictable as we might hope." --Bill Gates
"A real joyride . . . elegantly constructed and compulsively readable." --NPR
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 juvenile work farm where he has just served fifteen months for involuntary manslaughter. His mother long gone, his father recently deceased, and the family farm foreclosed upon by the bank, Emmett's intention is to pick up his eight-year-old brother, Billy, and head to California where they can start their lives anew. 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. 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 direction--to the City of New York.
Spanning just ten days and told from multiple points of view, Towles's third novel will satisfy fans of his multi-layered literary styling while providing them an array of new and richly imagined settings, characters, and themes. "Once again, I was wowed by Towles's writing--especially because The Lincoln Highway is so different from A Gentleman in Moscow in terms of setting, plot, and themes. Towles is not a one-trick pony. Like all the best storytellers, he has range. He takes inspiration from famous hero's journeys, including The Iliad, The Odyssey, Hamlet, Huckleberry Finn, and Of Mice and Men. He seems to be saying that our personal journeys are never as linear or predictable as an interstate highway. But, he suggests, when something (or someone) tries to steer us off course, it is possible to take the wheel." - Bill Gates
Share
Book Details
ISBN:
9780735222359
EAN:
9780735222359
Binding:
Hardcover
Pages:
592
Authors:
Amor Towles
Publisher:
Viking
Published Date: 2021-05-10
View full details
The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles is yet another triumph from a masterful storyteller. From the very first pages, Towles draws you in with his graceful prose and irresistible sense of momentum. The novel is set in 1954 and follows 18-year-old Emmett Watson as he sets off on a journey with his younger brother, Billy, intending to head west and start a new life. But when two friends from a work farm derail their plans, the road leads in a very different direction—east, toward New York City.Towles has a gift for crafting characters who feel fully alive. I found myself deeply invested in each of them: Emmett with his quiet resolve, Billy with his precocious charm, Duchess with his cunning and contradictions, and Woolly with his heartbreakingly innocent view of the world. The alternating perspectives add depth and nuance to their evolving relationships and the moral choices they face.Though the story takes place over just ten days, it has the emotional richness of an epic. The themes of redemption, loyalty, family, and destiny are explored with subtlety and grace. Towles doesn’t just write a road trip—he gives us a moving meditation on the detours life throws our way and how we navigate them.Highly recommended for readers who enjoy character-driven novels that combine literary elegance with narrative drive. Towles proves once again that he knows how to tell a story that lingers long after the final page.
I bought this for a friend, who very much enjoyed the story.
I listened to this book on audio, which may have made a difference. Either way, I have never read a book where one of the main characters can be heroic, sympathetic, completely aggravating, and lovable all at the same time. I won’t mention which character, but if you read the book, I think you will know. What stands out to me is the rich, complex texture of these characters. It’s not where the book ends that matters most but the journey itself. This is a perfect book for a book club, because there is so much to contemplate and discuss. Lovely writing.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's a great tale, told in a unique way.
This was so good, had me on the edge of my seat the whole way through. The end is kinda of sad. But it is still a good story and I can’t wait to read his next one.
