Coined by John William De Forest in an 1868 essay, the Great American Novel, as many academics now posit, has not yet been written. There have been some standout contenders like “Moby Dick” (1851), “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” (1852), and “Huckleberry Finn” (1884), to name a few. And let’s not forget “The Great Gatsby” (1925). When I finished reading Amor Towles’s “The Lincoln Highway,” a sweeping, episodic, and exuberant novel, I let out a soft sigh contemplating whether this rollicking read would qualify for this lofty title. Certainly, it embodies many themes that speak to the nature of the American spirit—big themes like family, friendship, honor, tradition, duty, and justice. Its characters are gutsy, freedom-seeking, riddled with flaws and strengths, and ultimately after the greater good even though their definitions of exactly what that differs. Their efforts can be seen as entrepreneurial, the stuff made of dreams, emotionally charged yet full …