The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles (historical fiction)

The Lincoln Highway is a 2021 novel by Amor Towles that follows four young men on an unexpected road trip across America in 1954. The story begins with 18-year-old Emmett Watson returning home to Nebraska after juvenile detention, intending to take his younger brother, Billy, to California for a fresh start. However, their plans are derailed when two friends from the work farm, Duchess and Woolly, emerge from the trunk of the warden's car, forcing the group on a journey in the opposite direction—to New York City. The novel is a coming-of-age story told from multiple perspectives, exploring themes of family, friendship, and the American experience through the lens of a cross-country adventure.