The Lincoln Highway (2021) Parents Guide: Is the book OK for kids?

The sexual content in the novel is primarily implied or discussed through a historical lens rather than described with graphic detail. There are several mentions of Emmett’s father’s various dalliances and affairs, which contributed to the family's instability and his mother's departure years prior. Duchess visits a house of ill-repute in New York, and while the atmosphere of the brothel is detailed, the specific sexual acts remain off-page. Some crude references are made by minor characters like Pastor John…

Violence is often sudden, visceral, and serves as a catalyst for the plot, beginning with Emmett's backstory involving the accidental death of Jimmy Snyder. Throughout the journey, characters engage in physical altercations, including a scene where Duchess uses a two-by-four against a teenager and another where he strikes an elderly man with a frying pan. There is a palpable sense of menace during a confrontation on a train involving a vagrant named Pastor John who threatens Billy with a knife. The novel concludes…

The dialogue utilizes period-appropriate language that includes occasional instances of strong profanity used for emphasis or during moments of high tension. Readers will encounter 'f--k,' 's--t,' and 'bastard,' though these terms do not appear on every page. There are also instances of 'damn' and 'hell' used casually by adult characters and the juvenile delinquents. Some derogatory terms common to the 1950s era are used to reflect the social prejudices of the time. However, the prose remains largely literary and…

Substance use reflects the social norms of the 1950s, with frequent depictions of adult characters smoking cigarettes and pipes throughout their travels. Alcohol, specifically whiskey and wine, is consumed during social gatherings, tense negotiations, and moments of celebration. Woolly's struggle with psychiatric issues is a major plot point, and his access to medication becomes a central concern for the group. This culminates in a tragic scene where Woolly purposefully takes a lethal overdose of his pills to…

The narrative explores heavy themes of atonement and the difficulty of escaping one’s past mistakes, particularly for young men labeled as delinquents. A central theme is abandonment, rooted in the mother's desertion of Emmett and Billy and the subsequent death of their father. The book critiques the systemic failures of juvenile reformatories and the cycle of poverty and debt in rural America. Grief is a constant companion for the characters as they navigate the finality of death and the loss of childhood…