The Lincoln Highway - Book Review


The Lincoln Highway

AmorTowles  

4.8 stars
 


 

These characters take you on a 1950s road-trip like no other. Emmett and Young Billy, Duchess and Woolly bring you on a journey of imagination and myth, of learning and love, of side-trips and many, many disasters. The folks they meet along the way all have a story to tell (teach), from the fantastical to the heart lessons that we all experience, though we are not always aware of until it is too late. 

From the brilliant to the dim-witted, the slow roads to the circus-speed excitement, each character is on their own path but all relying on each other.

The secondary characters, the sweet Sally, the brave Ulysses, Professor Abacus Abernathe are so wonderfully displayed and lend weight to the the 'extras' we encounter in our life.
I truly wish that I hadn't misplaced my notes on this book, my words here do not do it justice. 

The Lincoln Highway is a book that should be read slowly, and appreciated for the pace of a road-trip, with detours that lead you to unanticipated discoveries (and people). It will be a book that I add to my 'if I live long enough I should read this one again' list.

Now for the very reason that I've said that I loved this book, it could also drive a person crazy. The person who does not want to look at the scenery, who wants to 'just get there', who says they like a road trip but in truth do not. There are a LOT of detours, sometimes I forgot where the sentence was meant to go. But usually, the meandering added, gave further depth and understanding of the character. Each detail was there if you wanted it. I suspect that some readers skim, and some of us don't.


'For kindness begins where necessity ends'. Kind of says it all for me. 

Pick up a book, read more!


 


 Also by Towles, you'll enjoy this one too. Guaranteed.

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