The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles is the best novel I have read in the last ten years!!! Yes, it is that good!!! It’s storytelling at its absolute best. Amor Towles also wrote another of my top five recent favorite novels, A Gentleman in Moscow. A number of people have told me that they just couldn’t get in to that novel. It’s pace is slow at the beginning and it takes a while to build. While I thought it was a masterful piece of writing, I can understand why some people might not have engaged with that novel, but please trust me, as soon as you begin The Lincoln Highway you will be hooked and happily along for the ride.
You will meet eighteen year old Emmett, his eight year old brother Billy who is a delightful character, and two friends from the work farm where Emmett had served time for involuntary manslaughter. After his release, Emmett’s plan had been to head to California with Billy to start a new life. His friends Woody and Duchess who had walked away from the work farm decide to go along for the ride, but they soon steer the journey in another direction.
Reading along, I couldn’t help thinking of Tom and Huck’s raft trip on the mighty Mississippi and the many characters they encountered as do Emmett and Billy. Sam Clemens would have, for sure, given a nod of approval to The Lincoln Highway.
It also occurred to me that three of the best novels that I have read in the last five years have been “journey” novels. Besides The Lincoln Highway, in previous posts I have also highly recommended West with Giraffes by Linda Rutledge and Peace Like a River by Leif Enger.
In any event, climb into the back seat of Emmett’s powder-blue 1948 Studebaker, get comfortable, and go along for this ride. I promise you will love this book!!!
Here are the titles I received when I recently had asked for recommendations. It’s always good to have a list of books from which to choose:
One Hundred Years of Lennie and Margot
The Rose Code - Kate Quinn
Becoming Mrs. Lewis - Patti Callahan
Britt Marie Was Here - Fredrick Brackman
This Tender Land - William Kent Krueger
Ordinary Land - William Kent Krueger
Yesterday, I met friends for lunch at the South Shore Country Club in Hingham. Carol, our unofficial, dedicated social director:-) , manages to get us all together from time to time. Eight happily retired Weymouth teachers were able to make it to this lunch, and it was lovely to see and catch up with everyone. We dined outside on the patio and will meet again next month. Hopefully, even more of us will be able to make it wherever we decide to gather. :-)
Finally, for Emma fans, here she is today after a trip to the groomer. I wasn’t able to decide which image to share, so here are two.
Next time . . . we’ll talk chickens!!! ;-)
The Lincoln Highway is on my list. I LOVED The Gentleman in Moscow and was sorry when I reached the last page! I enjoyed The Rose Code. I laughed while reading Brit Marie Was Here and I loved Becoming Mrs. Lewis. I recently read The Secret History of Home Economics: How Trailblazing Women Harnessed the Power of Home and Changed the Way We Live by Danielle Drelinger. It is a book that gave me pause to think and to consider how much parts of life has not changed over the decades! I too enjoyed West with the Giraffes and Piece Like a River.
ReplyDeleteEmma looks beautiful sporting her new trim!---TerryK