The Lincoln Highway

By: Amor Towles

Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini, Marin Ireland, Dion Graham

Length: 16 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

The best-selling 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, 18-year-old Emmett Watson is driven home to Nebraska by the warden of the juvenile work farm where he has just served 15 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 10 days and told from multiple points of view, Towles' 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.

©2021 Amor Towles (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Read in reverse

I read A Gentleman in Moscow first. |As a first time listener of audible I found it riveting. The Lincoln Highway next I found the final chapter of the book dissappointing. I hope that there will be a sequal to this story.

A new American classic

Just came to the end of The Lincoln Highway and I did not want to switch off the Studebaker engine. Wanted the highway to roll on forever with all those detours and doublebacks and pitstops and cliffhangers. Echoes of Huckleberry Finn and, of course, the Odyssey and William Faulkner, Steinbeck, Kerouac and even Ken Kesey. It was a fabulous ride. What a craftsman is Amor Towles? Such story-telling, suspense, taxonomy. Already a fan of A Gentleman in Moscow I began this journey, confidently with him as my guide. He did not disappoint. Bloody loved it!
Read beautifully by all 3 narrators.

Uplifting

My friend who recommended this book to me wrote “Have been reading The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles, it's like a fairly tale. Loving it. Very descriptive writing. You can see it all. It's so gentle, when things could go wrong, they don't. A balm.”
I concur.

Just loved this story

A total delight to listen to. Loved the story and each character. The narration was excellent in every way. Sorry it came to an end I could carry on listening.

An Unexpected Surprise

I loved this book. It was slow and full of descriptive detail that took me as the reader into almost every scene in a visceral way. The depth of the story was unexpected and refreshing in its simple complexity or complex simplicity. It’s a book I’ll listen to again.

Just beautiful all round

Great flawed characters, quiet, dry humour with twists and turns all the way. Personally I thought Sally was magic.

A truly gifted writer and worthy narrators to do the story justice.

Exceptional book

This book is beautiful, fun, written really well with marvelous character building and development. Delightful!

OUTSTANDING

I urge you to spend your credit. It is a magical morality tale. Excellent! BRAVO!

Amor Towles

I am an avid reader, however the style of writing by Amor Towles has set the bar very high indeed!
Brilliant story, beautifully narrated and a book to treasure.
The Gentleman from Moscow was my first delight with this author and this book confirms what an incredible talent Mr Towles has.
Highly recommended, 5 stars all the way!

A rich story

I enjoyed the story being told by four characters, each with their own personalities, histories and agendas interwoven into a rich entertaining and yet heartbreaking amercian roadtrip.