The next morning, Emmett sees that Duchess and Woolly drove off in the Cadillac. Townhouse warns, however, that the police looking for Duchesss were asking about a blue Studebaker. Duchess plans to start a new life after all of this and wants to clear out any debts he owes or owed to him before he does. Maintaining a stable interior temperature in the Lincoln . Emmett goes into the city to track down Duchess, who knows is looking for his father. Its worth noting that Woolly is described as being somewhat child-like, easily fascinated by things and also easily distracted by or led away by things that interest him. His favorite part of the store is the huge dollhouse. Pastor John asks to see whats in there. But Billy merely kicks him and runs away. Later, the doorbell rings, and Woolly hurries to get it. As Duchess leaves, he thinks about how he considers Ackerlys debt to him to be repaid. Emmett wakes up to the smell of the breakfast that Sally had come over to cook for them. In the endtime is a precious resource. How else would he know where to drive to in New York City? He seems upset that she remarried after their father died, but Sarah gently reminds him that she waited four years and either way you cant begrudge your mother the comforts of companionship. He starts telling Emmett the story of how Duchess ended up in Salina. However, they were soon interrupted by some officers because the owner of the Skylark had spotted them out driving. They say a last good-bye to Woolly, and then get in the car to pick up Sally and leave. I can't understand why would Billy and Emmets mom leave the family. 21/28 City/Highway MPGAwards: * 2020 KBB.com 10 Favorite New-for-2020 Cars*Holt Motors Ford of Cokato is a family owned and operated Ford store serving the Central Minnesota Area since 1951. . This surprises Emmett since Duchess had always implied that Delphine had abandoned them. Fitzy explains that Delphine had always doted on Duchess and bought him fancy clothes, which is why Harry started jokingly referring to his son as Duchess. That night, situated in the trains empty car, Emmett and Billy open the cars hatch (with warning from the panhandler to shut it when they near the Chicago station mid-way). Hes distraught but when he sees Duchess, all Duchess cares about his trying to get Woollys inheritance that is locked away. In Pennsylvania, much of the Lincoln Highway became Route 30. Instead, they agree that they will go to tea at the Plaza, and then Woolly promises hes going back to Salina after his visit to New York. He says that as a black man, hell likely end up wearing some type of uniform, so he might as well choose the one that suits you. Sam would go with his father to travel to see various shipwrecks, and he felt his world expand and broaden. And so lets talk about the big twistEmmett leaving Duchess in the boat. Ive reread it a couple times and I dont believe Emmett purposely killed Duchess. (Basically, Abacus decides to go traveling with Ulysses via boxcar.). In Chapters 6 and 5, they all make their way to New York. Duchess wakes up on a row boat with no oar in the lake next to the Wolcott residence. Amor Towles ' new Great American Road Novel tails four boys three 18-year-olds who met in a juvenile reformatory, plus a brainy 8-year-old as they set out. We all need one of those. Spoiler warning: these summaries contains spoilers. In present day, Emmett thinks that she cried during the fireworks because she was reminded of what joy could be, if only she were willing to leave her daily life behind. by Richard F. Weingroff. However, Duchess derails the plan. Mr. Maurice looks dejected. Emmett removes the chairs barricading the doors and tells the nuns what happened. He says that they became friends. I felt pleased that Emmett and Billy were on their way and on their own with the money but also felt sorrow for Duchess who did have some redeemable features, but alas in the end his greed killed him. In the next chapter, we learn that the box is from Sally and contains 6 jars of her strawberry preserves. He was so focused on getting into the safe that he forgot about Woolly. Duchess now turns to setting accounts with Townhouse, who was the one had gotten in trouble at one point after Duchess convinced him to sneak out to see a movie, Hondo. Fitzy tells him that Harry is at the Olympic Hotel in Syracuse, and that he imagines Duchess will be headed there as well. There are blank pages under the You chapter for the reader to write their own story as well. However, Billy told Ulysses about Emmetts rule that he needed to have known someone for at least three days before considering them a friend, so Ulysses agreed to spend another day with them (in addition to today and yesterday) so that they could part as friends. The actors who lend their voices to the narrative are amazing. When Ackley investigated the missing food the next day, Tommy was punished, and the boys shared the other box of Oreos which Duchess had hidden. But lately, Ive noticed some books deserve a third articleone dedicated to shocking endings. Duchesss father abandoning him when he was 8, and him seeing his trickery helps to explain his manipulative personality and willingness to lie. However, he actually goes down the steps to drop his body in the river. So, when Sally called Sarahs place, no one picked up and it kept ringing instead. He knows that Duchess cant swim and he did just enough to provide some safety but it was up to Duchess to ensure that he could get back to shore. I wasn't a fan of the ending (no spoilers), where Emmett's actions seemed out of character. It seems like the loud noise was probably Sallys car making some type of noise. Given what Duchess did to Ackerly, we can only imagine what Duchesss current relationship with his father is and what he might do when he does catch up with him. Before Emmett leaves, Townhouse tells him that Duchess had mentioned that he and Woolly were going to watch the Circus show in Red Hook at 6PM that night. It was also accompanied by five other cases Hamlet, Henry, Lear, Macbeth and Romeo. . Scrounging around, Pastor John locates the tin box containing the silver dollar collection. He feels grateful for what shes done for him, but not beholden to her. Theyd had a delightful picnic. It's marked here as the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor. Meanwhile, back in Nebraska, Sally confronts her father at work. Reading the story from Duchess first-person perspective caused the reader to try to sympathize with him but soon it became apparent that not only was he a liar but hes also a dangerous person. There were no firemen around, and he somehow became convinced that someone accidentally left it there. Meanwhile, Woolly is a troubled rich kid. Afterwards, Sarah wants to ask him a question, but he implies that hes rather she didnt. That night, Duchess tells Woolly that if he had 50 grand, hed open up a place like Leonellos. Duchess then imagines where hed open up his Leonellos if he could. It references an earlier conversation that Billy and Emmett had (in chapter 8) about how long you have to know someone to be their friend. She thinks about how they say the Lord answers all prayers, its just that sometimes he answers no.. He also claims that the cops were only concerned about the car because Woolly almost got a ticket. Back at the camp, Ulysses asks Billy to read him the story of Ulysses again. Just about to start another Amor Towels. Instead, Paco and Pico offer to repaint the car to make it less recognizable, saying they can do it by Monday morning. I found there to be some inconsistencies in the narrative - my opinion is that much of the book seems like it have taken place in the late 1950s, when travel investments (e.g., Interstate Road System) would have enabled a 20 hour drive from Nebraska to New York City. Celebrating America's first cross-country roadway New York San Francisco Est. He had been named Sam as a boy. Duchess's goes looking for his father (Harry), who is trying to evade him after learning that Duchess escaped from juvie. Ackerlys body jolts, slumps lower and his bladder releases. In present day, Emmett goes to the public library. As they work, Sarah tells him about how Woolly ended up at Salina. In present day, Duchess considers how the Oreo incident was a credit in his account, but not enough to offset the entirety of what he owes to Townhouse for the Hondo incident. The first one is because Emmett knows his father doesnt believe in defacing books, which he had clearly done in this instance. Then, he took full advantage of it before finally sneaking out the back stairs when it was time to leave. At this point, its not clear what Duchess is up to in asking for Ackerlys address, but by now his mischievous personality should indicate that he likely has something up his sleeve. He sees that Californias growth had exceeded Texass impressive growth over the years. He sees that a bunch of bills ($50K) is stacked up on the opposite end of the boat. Billy tells Abacus about his own adventures. Marceline Maupassant was living there as well. Quick (-ish) Recap In the novel The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles, when 18-year-old Emmett Watson told his younger brother William "Billy" Watson they needed to make a fresh start, Billy suggested they follow the route their mother took when she abandoned them, along the Lincoln Highway. However, Townhouse is reluctant to hit Duchess at first, and he tells them to shut up. At first, Emmett is hesitant, telling her that he doesnt want her to have expectations regarding the two of them. Instead, Townhouse said that hed snuck in and taken the key from the body shop. While we dont know the details of it yet, it seems clear that it somehow implicated Duchess. He sees that it was given to him by Ellie Matthiessen, the librarian. Duchess comments on how great the preserves are, while Emmett says they already have jam. He starts using his hands to row towards the dock (which is a few hundred feet away), but the wind works against him and the water is cold. Then, six months ago like her father had met a woman, Alice Thompson, and hed broken his routine. Afterwards, Emmett hears Duchess telling Billy the story of the Count of Monte Cristo and the characters escape from prison. It takes her 20 hours to get to New York. When it was his turn to recite the Gettysburg Address, he remembers how the whole family had chimed in happily when he forgot the words. The official map of the Lincoln Highway, published by the Lincoln Highway Association. He also seems to have a soft spot for Woolly and seems to feels that hes been similarly screwed over by his family or been treated unfairly by life. When Billy refuses to give it up, Pastor John hits Billy. New Price!CARFAX One-Owner. While Billy hopes they can find their mother in San Fransisco (even though she abandoned the family), Emmett believes they can get a fresh start with fixing and then selling houses (the original house flippers). The Lincoln Highway has little to do with an actual highway, aside from the fact that the main characters of the novel are on a journey. The old man says Duchesss father recently vacated the room and left something behind. In town, Jake Snyder (brother of Jimmy Snyder) accosts Emmett, trying to goad him into a fight and then punching Emmett a few times, though Emmett doesn't fight back. But Duchess made a mess of everything. He points out an officers watch that had once belonged to his grandfather it has a black background and white numbers. Emmett tries to get Duchess to leave (this place that appears to be a brothel), but before he can, a woman there (Ma Belle) shoves him into a room with one of the prostitutes, Charity. As Emmett is about to leave, Fitzy tells him about Duchesss mother, Delphine. Someone needs to proofread the summery. As for the ending there are many layers to the final part of the book. "The Lincoln Highway" is a road-trip-buddy book with a myriad of mixed agendas and detours. Hed decided to walk the 40 miles to the nearest junction in Des Moines instead. His father then proceeded to drive off with Miss Maples, leaving Duchess behind as he realized [hed] been had. The nest morning over breakfast, Woolly takes an interest in their paper place mats, depicting the state of Illinois, local landmarks and all the other HoJo locations. . It the drives away. I also do think he could read a little bit. I love to read and review various genres with a focus on contemporary fiction, historical fiction with some mysteries/thrillers and also select nonfiction and memoirs. Emmett recognizes the numerous flaws in Billys plan if shes really there and whether she wants to see them but he agrees to think about it. Woolly admits that one of the four cars, a Cadillac convertible, is his, something he inherited from his father. Mr. Parker explains that the two of them are accompanying their friend Alexander Cunningham the Third, the grandson of the owner of this passenger car who is sleeping in the car next door, to Chicago for his wedding. Many novels. . If youre new to Book Club Chat, I write spoiler-free reviews and spoiler-filled book club questions for each novel I read. Sheriff Peterson knew it wasnt Emmett, since they were together at the time. As a bedtime story, he ends up reciting to him the story of Macbeth. Bursting with life, charm, richly imagined settings and unforgettable characters, The Lincoln Highway is an extraordinary journey through 1950s America from the pen of a master storyteller. She's upset to learn from Duchess that Emmett plans on leaving. by Jessica Lachenal. They reach a huge house next to a lake. . Over at the Ransom home, Sally thinks about a parable that Reverend Pike had read to the congregation where Jesus chides Marys sister Martha when she complains about doing all the housework while Mary sits at Jesuss feet. Load groceries and much more with ease into this 1/2 ton suv thanks to the power liftgate. Emmett then thinks about how Duchess has been saying he has unfinished business with his father and worries what he plans to do. The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles review - an all-American road trip Two teenagers pursue a stolen car in this folksy 50s-set novel from the author of A Gentleman in Moscow Carrie O'Grady Wed 17. Theyve both turned 18 recently, which means that if caught they could end up at Topeka (prison) instead of Salina (juvenile detention). That night, Billy opens up his big red book, considering where to start his story. When the old man tells Duchess that his father only recently vacated the room on Monday, Duchess understands that his father mustve left after learning Duchess had escaped from Salina. He then takes a taxi partway to Sarahs place, but he sees that hes out of money to pay for the rest of the trip. Sally had lied, saying he didnt. Box's The Highway novel is filled with suspense. Billy has recently found some old postcards indicating their mother (who left them 8 years ago) once took the journey there down the Lincoln Highway. At nearly 600 pages, "The Lincoln Highway" is remarkably brisk, remarkably buoyant. As Duchess tries to get to the money before it flies away, he drowns. "The Lincoln Highway" by Amor Towles is a historical fiction novel that was voted by Amazon's book editors as the best book of 2021. Now, after Duchess has knocked Emmett out, Billy is upset after seeing Duchess hit Emmett. The Lincoln Highway is captivating and utterly compelling, telling the story of two brothers, abandoned by their parents, who are determined to start a new life together. The hotel clerk (after asking for compensation) then directs Emmett to Anchor where Fitzy FitzWilliams can be found. However, he feels certain Emmett did not owe a debt to the man in the cowboy hat (the cowboy). When Duchess starts talking about going to San Francisco with Emmett, Emmett insists that Duchess needs to go back to Salina. The second is because his father knew it technically belonged to his creditors. When Warden Williams later had them all take an accounting class about balancing your accounts, Duchess started to understand what Sister Agnes had been teaching them. She thinks to herself that she does it because its time-consuming, old-fashioned, and unnecessary. He recalls how his father pretended to be upper-class get himself into the presidential suite of the fanciest hotel. (At one point, Maurice walks in and is upset to see that Townhouse is giving the car back to Emmett, but Townhouse just tells Maurice off, who stalks off angrily.). Each of the main characters are at a crossroads of sorts and in a way, the Lincoln Highway serves as a getaway from their current, somewhat bleak situation. So, maybe he didnt actually kill Woolly but he also didnt help to prevent the overdose. The Lincoln Highway originated when Carl Fisher (who built the Indianapolis Motor Speedway), saw a need for a transcontinental highway. Marceline had been one of the most famous clowns in Europe in the twenties. However, flour is much more dense than crackers, so on the way to New York, there is extra space (and empty train cars at the back) although it carries it same weight back and forth. Duchess tells Townhouse that he figures he owes Townhouse about three punches (8 for the Hondo incident minus 5 for the Oreo incident), and he invites Townhouse the punch him, promising not to fight back. A while ago, Emmetts father, Charles Charlie William Watson, took out a second mortgage on the farm. When it starts getting late and Emmett still hasnt shown up however, Duchess starts to worry. He recalls how Grandma Wolcott would take them to FAO Schwarz to buy Christmas presents, and then they would go to the Plaza for tea. Sally sounds a bit whiny though she is devoted to Billy. Mostly confined to a single setting Moscow's luxurious Metropol Hotel it spanned 32 years under Stalin's grim rule. . For him, there are three main debts one he owes to someone else, and two debts that are owed to him. Determined not to make the same mistakes, he asks people for directions and makes his way to the Statler Building. Theyre interrupted by a loud noise outside. It was helpful because I had only read about half of the book and It was my book clubs discussion day. Duchess also takes an inventory of the expenses that are owed to Emmett. In that moment, a black man named Ulysses who knows Pastor John enters the boxcar. He had then grabbed the shovel to wait for the right moment to knock Pastor John out. Here we get a little more information on why Duchesss father may have taken off when he heard that Duchess was free. Duchess explains that it required some initiative (i.e. The bestselling 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, eighteen-year-old Emmett Watson is driven home to Nebraska by the warden of the work farm where he has just served a year for involuntary manslaughter. The title of this latest book refers to America's first cross-country roadway for automobiles, which stretched from New York City to San Francisco. Emmett sees that the book is from 1951, but Ma Belle tells him that with society people, the addresses never change. Today, hed be looking around the house for other tools. One day, Duchess had gone to check on Marceline to find him hanging from the ceiling fan. I, too, found this helpful since I had read the book months ago, and now it is my book clubs choice, but shouldnt a literary website copyread its work?!?!?! Of course, Towles is drawn to that one in a thousand. Passing by the Empire State Building, Woolly felt that should be included on the list. Instead, he would rather use Fitzys feelings of remorse to guilt him into telling him where his father is. When he comes back, he sees that Woolly has driven off with the car. Emmett agrees. His sister Kaitlin Wolcott Wilcox had been angry when his mother had given it away. The last postcard she sent also talks about how the Palace of the Legion of Honor in San Franciscos Lincoln Park has a huge firework show on July 4th each year. He says that it seems to be about something more serious than Duchess skipping the fence at Salina. Emmett has carefully planned the trip so they can make it to Omaha to drop off Duchess and Woolly and then to San Francisco in four days flat. I think its left vague on purpose. But at any age, it's the young-at-heart who are most open to amazement people like Woolly, who may not be cut out for this world but who can appreciate what he calls a "one-of-a-kind of day.". His much-loved second novel, A Gentleman in Moscow (2016), incorporated nods toward the great Russian writers and shades of Eloise at the Plaza and Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel. However, Sally says that the sheriff came to see her. He then sees hes next to a freshly dug grave with a casket at the bottom. Advance praise for The Lincoln Highway "Towles' third novel is even more entertaining than his much-acclaimed A Gentleman in Moscow. Buy The Lincoln Highway: A New York Times Number One Bestseller 01 by Towles, Amor (ISBN: 9781786332523) from Amazon's Book Store. And in this book the last day in the book is the first day of summer! When hes done, Billy asks to hear a story about Ulysses own life. Duchess tries to calm him down, saying that he needs time to get into the safe so that Emmett and Billy will have the money for their dream house. His new novel, THE LINCOLN HIGHWAY, will be released on October 5, 2021. By all means, I always love a good journey yarn. (the first item on the list was to Remove firing pins from the guns so its likely the gun Duchess is holding cant actually shoot). When Duchess goes to the bathroom, he strikes up a conversation with the traveling salesman. Emmett awakes to see Duchess take Billy inside and close slam the door. The Lincoln Highway is a fast paced and reflective adventure story centered on three young men from disparate backgrounds, whose incarceration together in a juvenile detention center brings them together on the outside where conflicting motives and moralities set them on a course for collision across the United States. The postcards from right after she left were sent from cities all along the Lincoln Highway, which stretches to San Francisco. Each chapter covers one hero, adventurer or traveler. Stew is surprised since Ulysses has always had a rule about not staying in the same place two nights in a row. Emmetts father also got sick, and this year he passed away. "The Lincoln Highway" is a long and winding road, but one Towles's motley crew navigates with brains, heart and courage. Later, Emmett finds Sally, who is upset with him. Emmett claims he is interested in hiring Harrison Hewett, and Mr. McGinley directs him to Mr. Cohen, an agent at another agency (Mr. Morton had explained that they all work cooperatively and take commissions from each other for referrals). Emmett thinks about how the difficulty of distinguishing between fact and fancy was what drove their father to end up bankrupt pursuing his dreams. One night, Duchess had seen them sneak two boxes of Oreos from the pantry into Townhouses locker in order to get him in trouble. The Lincoln Highway. One day, he was asked to do a recitation of Karl Marxs Communist Manifesto at a large event, a gig he undertook with diligence. When it was reported on in the newspapers, anti-communist sentiment ensured that Fitzys career as a well-paid Santa was over. Outside, Emmett checks on his powder-blue 1948 Studebaker Land Cruiser. It left his $150,000 trust fund to be split between Emmett, Billy and Duchess. They're soon interrupted by the presence of Duchess and Woolly, two guys Emmett knows from juvie. The Studebaker company, now known as a long-lasting and iconic automotive manufacturer, was founded in South Bend, Indiana in 1852. Over in Hells Kitchen, Duchess heads to a dive bar called Anchor on W. 45th St. Bernie had tipped him off that Fitzy and his father had often met there at 8 pm each night. I did not understand the role of Sally. With the exception of Woolly, the teenagers in this novel are remarkably mature by today's standards, and burdened by cares. Like his first two novels, The Lincoln Highway is elegantly constructed and compulsively readable. However, Duchess drugs Emmett, leaves him at the brothel and ducks out. Mr. Hewett tends not to have a steady address, but he leaves word with the various booking agencies as to where he can be reached. He wants to start in media res (in the middle of the story), and he considers what the best starting point would be. He reaches over to grab it, but realizes that because the boat is slightly damaged, moving towards the money causes water to seep into the boat. One day, hed decided it to burn it, dousing it with gas in the football field. First, was this Woollys plan all alongto commit suicide and leave his friends his inheritance? The character of Woolly will remain with me. Elsewhere, Abacus thinks about how Billy has reawakened his desire for adventure. Standing in front of the statue, he thinks about how his great-grandfather had always loved the Fourth of July and insisted that the whole family gather on that holiday at his place in the Adirondacks. Meanwhile, Duchess and Woolly have driven as far as Illinois by now. The second is a stack of bills, approximately $3,000, which his father had set aside instead of paying to his creditors. In The Lincoln Highway, the main characters undertake a would-be cross-country road trip in Emmett Watson's pride and joy, a 1948 powder-blue Studebaker Land Cruiser.