Emmett has big reasons to leave the state, and a plan. Each of the main characters are at a crossroads of sorts and in a way, the Lincoln Highway serves as a getaway from their current, somewhat bleak situation. Their old life has certainly featured many tribulations. While Billy hopes they can find their mother in San Fransisco (even though she abandoned the family), Emmett believes they can get a fresh start with fixing and then selling houses (the original house flippers). I decided to try something different for my list of holiday books this year. If youre new to Book Club Chat, I write spoiler-free reviews and spoiler-filled book club questions for each novel I read. So, maybe he didnt actually kill Woolly but he also didnt help to prevent the overdose. Over 10 Million items sold. It's 1954, and three young men and a boy are on the adventure of their lives, traveling between the Midwest and Manhattan and the Adirondacks, and while there are meticulous reasons for their incredible journey, what makes this masterpiece work are each of the characters. . Sometimes if we make the right choices, we will find positive consequences. An . For most book groups, this could be a wise pick. Very sad and tragic. There's so much to enjoy in this generous novel packed with fantastic characters [.] After having read A gentleman in Moscow, I knew I had to buy The Lincoln Highway! He seems to be saying that our personal journeys are never as linear or predictable as an interstate highway. How should I describe it? Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout. Get help and learn more about the design. Learn more. Another hero is Sally, a young neighbor who cares deeply for both Billy and Emmett. In other words, adventure ensues: Theres train hopping and car stealing, and with that comes the inevitability of trouble sparked from both good and bad intentions. I just know Ill want to read it. 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. The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles (Viking) was named the Best Book of the Year by Amazon Books editors. His second novel, A Gentleman in Moscow, published in 2016, was also a New York Times bestseller and was ranked as one of the best books of 2016 by the Chicago Tribune, the Miami Herald, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the St. Louis Dispatch, and NPR. The Lincoln Highway: A Novel Paperback - March 21, 2023 by Amor Towles (Author) 73,212 ratings Editors' pick Best Literature & Fiction See all formats and editions Kindle $14.99 Read with Our Free App Audiobook $0.00 Free with your Audible trial Hardcover $15.09 187 Used from $6.61 69 New from $10.00 19 Collectible from $17.40 Paperback It meandered through irrelevant and illogical anecdotes. I am a fan of this author. I freely admit that some readers found his earlier books to be trivial and frivolous. Please try again. During his sentence, Emmetts father (who had always struggled to manage the farm) had died, and eight-year-old Billy had been looked after by Sally. I think he drifts in and out of consciousness while on the boat and I surmise that only about ten bills are described as floating/flying away, leaving $49500 which is a lot of money in 1954why would he do anything to jeopardize losing that? "Wouldn't it be wonderful if everybody's life was like a piece of a jigsaw puzzleno one's life an inconvenience to another'sfitting snuggly into its own, specially designed spot.enabling the whole intricate picture to become complete." , Print length . The only character that jarred with me was Billy who was wise beyond his years, and although I enjoyed the character, I would have preferred he was cast a few years older. I found it to be a really wonderful book; light-hearted most of the way through with some really impactful character moments. , also holds that distinction (in this reviewers mind, anyway). A coming of age story that is not about adolescent outbursts but a story of 4 males trying to make life decisions in a world that they have not learned to live in yet. ', Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2022. Reprinted by permission. The Lincoln Highway .is a long and winding road, but one Towles's motley crew navigates with brains, heart and courage. Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 20, 2021, A wonderful novel - part road-trip, part coming-of-age story. 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. Towles writing style is recognisable and I cant wait to finish this book as well as hope theres more books in the making! , Text-to-Speech At nearly 600 pages, The Lincoln Highway is remarkably brisk, remarkably buoyant. Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations. I found them to be a delight. With this ominous cue you may sense some very unpopular review is on its way! A masterpiece! The story is a time capture odyssey of one week, with a smooth transition from one chapter to the next as the four main characters narrate in the first person providing the history to their story as they learn to live in the present, deal with the past and look forward to their future. . 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. The two novels have collectively sold more than four million copies and have been translated into more than thirty languages. The Lincoln Highway, his third novel, was therefore highly anticipated. On reflection now, I can see that Duchess is a charming psychopath (who can quote Shakespeare but cant read) and his end is kind of fitting. 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. Towles writing style is recognisable and I cant wait to finish this book as well as hope theres more books in the making! They have their scars and their demons and their eccentricities. "The Lincoln Highway" was named the best book of the year by Amazon, and six months after publication it is still on bestseller lists, as more people discove. 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. . 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. Hes distraught but when he sees Duchess, all Duchess cares about his trying to get Woollys inheritance that is locked away. Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Utterly enchanting, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 10, 2021. To add the following enhancements to your purchase, choose a different seller. . : 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. There was not much substance to the plot and events and conversations were often repeated. 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 love to read and review various genres with a focus on contemporary fiction, historical fiction with some mysteries/thrillers and also select nonfiction and memoirs. Towles delivers the story through sections focusing in turns on different characters, with some first-person observations from Duchess thrown in along the way. I don't understand why when Emmett understood that Woolly did indeed want to leave them the money that he couldn't have given Duchess his share and said - good luck. Editorial director Sarah Gelman said the novel was "the perfect book for the times . The story follows four boys who set out to travel the country in search of a fresh start: Emmett and Billy want to find their mother who left them when they were young, and Duchess and Woolly are on the hunt for a stashed wad of cash. The cowboy was thoroughly nasty and the violence to Ackerly was provoked - Ackerly treated those in his care callously. I havent completely finished it yet but I couldnt wait to share my thoughts! I wanted to hear other people's thoughts about the end though. . Pastor John represents the ever-present danger of placing your trust in the wrong authority, a matter Towles touches on more generally by including an atomic bomb drill that prefigured the anxiety and mistrust of the cold war. There is something wrong with the plot when I only decided I loved this book halfway in and then the ending felt a bit incomplete and lacked the closure I wanted for the four boys. Living in the big city, rushing around amid all that hammering and clamoring, the events of life can begin to seem random. Particularly, Emmett and Billy. Unable to add item to List. VERY disappointing. Click above for unlimited listening to select audiobooks, Audible Originals, and podcasts. Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club thats right for you for free. Towles writing style is recognisable and I cant wait to finish this book as well as hope theres more books in the making! Utterly enchanting, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 10, 2021. . It scared me. I know I am in the minority, but perhaps because I am not a fan of quest books, this one didnt live up to the hype for me. The hero of Amor Towless previous novel, the multimillion-selling A Gentleman in Moscow, spent 480 pages cooped up in a posh hotel, unable to leave on pain of death a luxury lockdown. Set over the course of ten riveting days, the story of these four boys unfolds, refolds, tears, and is taped back together. The acts of violence against the Cowboy & Ackerly come from an 18 yr old w/anger - being left by his father at 10, then being sent to the work farm unjustly. Choo choo choo! The writing style is simplistic enough but full of detail and lets you understand each character in such a meaningful way. His father has died, his bank loans against it are called in and the farm is to be sold. We apparently see a flash before Duchess dies that shows the brothers in California, Woolly alive, Sally with a child and Sister Sarah. The historical content, the personalities, the solutions to problems, the joy of the ride! Emmett and Billy come alive in the first chapters but then seem to fall away and become far less believable. Towles is an incredible storyteller. He decides to leave Nebraska and drive to California with his younger brother Billy for a fresh start. I have seen people wonder if Duchess had a hand in Woollys deathsuch as ensuring Woolly would get his sisters medicine bottle (which I dont think we ever got the name of). But Emmett is concerned that Duchess will try and find them. Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! Towles lives in Manhattan withhis wife and two children. The touches of homespun wisdom, typical of Towles, seemed quirkily sage in the Tolstoy-inspired A Gentleman in Moscow. The Lincoln Highway: A Novel Kindle Edition by Amor Towles (Author) Format: Kindle Edition 72,670 ratings Editors' pick Best Literature & Fiction See all formats and editions Kindle $14.99 Read with Our Free App Audiobook $0.00 Free with your Audible trial #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER More than ONE MILLION copies sold In 2019, I reviewed his book A Gentleman in Moscow, which was fantastic. , Enhanced typesetting At times I wondered if this really was a myth or fantasy. They leave to escape angry townspeople who believe Emmett got off . The present novel is the story of two brothers who plan to set off from their failed family farm in Nebraska and start a new life in California. The suggestion is that he got it off his father after hed had a probably brutal encounter with him, but why would his father have ended up with the watch his son was done for stealing? Once he steals Emmetts car and heads up to New York, it completely delays Emmetts and Billys plans. 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. Advance praise for The Lincoln Highway "Towles' third novel is even more entertaining than his much-acclaimed A Gentleman in Moscow. It is the story of four young men who travel from Nebraska to New York City on the Lincoln Highway. In no sense is this book a thriller and yet tension does exist as the end approaches. A Literary Work of Genius--Extraordinary Plot and Unforgettable Cast of Characters, Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2023. Brilliant storytelling! Nach Verffentlichungen in der Paris Review war Eine Frage der Hflichkeit sein erster Roman. I can't understand why would Billy and Emmets mom leave the family. Learn more. Does this item contain inappropriate content? I feel Emmett was truly concerned that Duchess would find him and Billy and continue to cause havoc so he had to delay Duchess. The pace is fast and writing concise, making it a digestible read whether in bed or at a loud coffee shop. . Much to admire and enjoy. He is welcomed back to the family farm by the father and daughter from a neighbouring farm. Er lebt mit seiner Frau und seinen beiden Kindern in Manhattan. 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. A Literary Work of Genius--Extraordinary Plot and Unforgettable Cast of Characters, Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2023. His father has died, and his younger brother, Billy, is keen for the two of them to head to California in search of their mother, who walked out eight years ago. In the novel The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles,18-year-old Emmett Watson is just out of a juvenile reform facility. Stir and let simmer another ten minutes. I definitely finished Lincoln Highway hoping that Towles is busy writing his next novel. A wonderful novel - part road-trip, part coming-of-age story. If Emmett didnt stop Duchess, Emmett believes that Duchess would again get in the way of their plans. I finished it but hope Mr Towels writes a bit more upbeat on his next novel. The Lincoln Highway A Novel by Amor Towles Critics' Opinion: Readers' Opinion: First Published: Oct 2021, 592 pages Paperback: Mar 21, 2023, 592 pages Genres Rate this book Write a Review Book Reviewed by: Rebecca Foster Buy This Book About this Book Summary Excerpt Reading Guide Reading Guide Questions There is a smattering of philosophy, a touch of Greek mythology and Shakespeare is not forgotten. And its a road trip!! But, he suggests, when something (or someone) tries to steer us off course, it is possible to take the wheel. 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