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  • Published: 5 July 2022
  • ISBN: 9781529157642
  • Imprint: Penguin
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 592
  • RRP: $26.00

The Lincoln Highway

A New York Times Number One Bestseller




Two brothers venture across 1950s America in the absorbing New York Times bestselling novel by the author of A Gentleman in Moscow

THE INSTANT NUMBER ONE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
FROM THE AUTHOR OF RULES OF CIVILITY AND A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW
'Deserves a place alongside Kerouac, Steinbeck and Wolfe as the very best of the genre' OBSERVER
'An absolute beauty of a book. As soon as I finished it, I wanted to read it again' TANA FRENCH

'Welcome to the enormous pleasure that is The Lincoln Highway . . . in which the miles fly by and the pages turn fast' ANN PATCHETT

In June, 1954, eighteen-year-old Emmett returns home to his younger brother Billy after serving fifteen months in a juvenile facility for involuntary manslaughter. They are getting ready to leave their old life behind and head out to sunny California.

But they're not alone. Two runaways from the youth work farm, Duchess and Wolly, have followed Emmett all the way to Nebraska with a plan of their own, one that will take the four of them on an unexpected and fateful journey in the opposite direction - to New York City.

'Already feels like an American coming of age classic' RED
'The best novel I've read in years' CHRIS CLEAVE

'Wise and wildly entertaining . . . permeated with light, wit, youth' THE NEW YORK TIMES

  • Published: 5 July 2022
  • ISBN: 9781529157642
  • Imprint: Penguin
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 592
  • RRP: $26.00

About the author

Amor Towles

Amor Towles was born and raised in the Boston area. He graduated from Yale University and received an MA in English from Stanford University. An investment professional for over twenty years, he now devotes himself full time to writing. Towles lives in Manhattan with his wife and two children.

Also by Amor Towles

See all

Praise for The Lincoln Highway

Finely observed and beautifully written. Amor Towles is that rare combination of writer and storyteller.

Jeffrey Archer

Towles' third novel is even more entertaining than his much-acclaimed A Gentleman in Moscow (2016)... A remarkable blend of sweetness and doom, Towles' novel is packed with revelations about the American myth, the art of storytelling, and the unrelenting pull of history. An exhilarating ride through Americana.

Kirkus starred review

An absolute beauty of a book. Every character is a gem, the many locations spring to vivid life, the book is an intricate and moving exploration of journeys and the infinite unexpected turns they can take - and somehow Towles makes it all seem effortless. As soon as I finished it, I wanted to read it again.

Tana French

Magnificent . . . Towles is a supreme storyteller, and this one-of-a-kind kind of novel isn't to be missed

Publishers Weekly

[The Lincoln Highway] is reason to rejoice for Towles's millions of fans, who made his first two novels, Rules of Civility and A Gentleman in Moscow, runaway international bestsellers

The Millions

With exquisitely drawn characters, beautiful writing and a real sense of moral integrity, The Lincoln Highway already feels like an American coming of age classic to sit alongside The Catcher In The Rye and To Kill A Mockingbird

Red

A sweet, charming and wonderfully astute take on humanity and its foibles, this is gorgeous storytelling

Psychologies, Book of the Month

A delight from beginning to end

Good Housekeeping

Wise and wildly entertaining . . . permeated with light, wit, youth

The New York Times Book Review

The Lincoln Highway is a joyride...[a] delightful tour de force .. There's so much to enjoy in this generous novel packed with fantastic characters

NPR.org

'[A] gorgeously crafted novel'

The Washington Post

Following the runaway success of A Gentleman in Moscow, Amor Towles returns with his third major novel, and we're pleased to say it's another stunner... A gem of a book

Woman and Home, Book of the Month

"[The] notion of American openness, of ever-fractalizing free will, coming up against the fickle realities of fate is the tension that powers Towles' exciting, entertaining [...] picaresque . . . Stories can bring us back to ourselves, Towles seems to say, if only we are open to receiving their power . . . Anyone who follows The Lincoln Highway will relish the trip

Los Angeles Times

Welcome to the enormous pleasure that is The Lincoln Highway, a big book of camaraderie and adventure in which the miles fly by and the pages turn fast. Set over the course of ten riveting days, the story of these four boys unfolds, refolds, tears, and is taped back together. When you aren't actually reading the book, you'll be worrying about the characters, so you might as well stay in your chair and keep reading

Ann Patchett

An enthralling odyssey

People

Absorbing

USA Today

A wild ride through Americana

BuzzFeed

History [and] adventure collide in The Lincoln Highway . . . The pace is fast and writing concise, making it a digestible read whether in bed or at a loud coffee shop

Associated Press

Magnificent . . . Towles is a supreme storyteller, and this one-of-a-kind kind of novel isn't to be missed

Publishers Weekly

[A] playfully thought-provoking novel . . . [Towles] juggles the pieces of his plot deftly, shifting from voice to voice, skirting sentimentality and quirkiness with a touch of wistful regret, and leading up to an ending that is bound to provoke discussion

Booklist

Amor Towles's third novel is fantastic!...Wise, witty and entirely wonderful, this is a superlative slice of storytelling

Daily Mail

[A] novel that is as much about the literary history of the American road as it is about the journey itself, and deserves a place alongside Kerouac, Steinbeck and Wolfe as the very best of the genre

Observer

A new author to me- but I'll be reading Amor's A Gentlemen in Moscow, as I was blown away by this... A heartfelt read, one that makes me think of coming of age film Stand By Me

Prima

A big hearted adventure told with brio

Mail on Sunday

The best novel I've read in years. Epic and original, mesmeric and life-affirming, in The Lincoln Highway Amor Towles takes his unmatched gift for storytelling and puts it on the road. Every beautiful paragraph takes the reader a mile further into a world where our choices matter, where life surprises us, and where people are worth the trouble. This is one of those rare and special books that drive us home to ourselves

Chris Cleave

This deeply enjoyable read cements Towles' reputation as one of the best of today's historical novelists

Express

CRAMMED full of emotion, madcap escapades and hugely endearing characters, Towles' outstanding third novel criss-crosses 1950s America as three wayward young men, and one sweet kid brother, go in search of fresh starts and family fortunes. Damaged by their pasts and heading into uncertain futures, their unruly ten-day odyssey is a beautiful, bittersweet adventure

Daily Mail

Towles's myth-making, masterful storytelling is no humane, uplifting and compelling that I didn't want the journey to end

Church Times

A natural storyteller, Towles keeps the plot ticking over nicely in a solid holiday listen destined for the big screen

Irish Examiner

A perfect paperback

The Herald

A book to lose yourself in

Muddy Stilettos