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A Goodreads user asked this question about The Lincoln Highway:
I find the use of long dashes instead of quotation marks very distracting. It takes me out of the story. Does anyone know why this punctuation choice was made?
Deb I saw this answer from the author in a FAQ on his website
Why is the dialogue in the book indicated by em dashes rather than quotation marks?

In my firs…moreI saw this answer from the author in a FAQ on his website
Why is the dialogue in the book indicated by em dashes rather than quotation marks?

In my first novel, Rules of Civility, I also used em dashes instead of quotation marks.

Quotation marks are designed to let an author insert little parenthetical observations or characterizations in the middle of dialogue:

“I knew your father well,” he said soberly, “back in the early days of the war…”

“Yes,” she said smoothing her skirt, “another cup of tea would be lovely…”



By eliminating the quotation marks in Rules, I was forced to abandon these little clarifications and write conversation in such a way that the dialogue would do most of the work on its own. I also think it resulted in exchanges with a sharper delivery and quicker pace.

It seemed natural to use them again in The Lincoln Highway for the same reasons.(less)
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The Lincoln Highway
by Amor Towles (Goodreads Author)
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