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. 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 ten days and told from multiple points of view, Towles's 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.

This story begins with a young man (Emmett) who is released from prison with a singular goal of starting a new life with his younger brother (Billy) far away from where they were raised. From that point, the reader is taken on a wild ride that plays out over 10 days. A cast of characters joins the two along the way, and a myriad of adventures ensues...with an ending entirely unlike Emmett's original plan. For me, this book was equal parts entertaining, insightful, and poignant. There were lessons of friendship, hardship, and kindness woven into an action-packed plot with many unpredictable twists and turns. Though it is a long book, the author does a great job of keeping the story moving forward with characters that are relatable, and situations that are realistic and, at times, fantastic. Reading The Lincoln Highway in the winter of 2021 allowed me to find a temporary escape from days spent wondering and worrying over all that was (and is) happening in the world.