The Punch

By: Noah Hawley

Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini

"No reader should pass this by." -- Andrew Sean Greer, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Less

Joe Henry was the glue that held his family together. Now he is dead, and his wife and sons are coming together for one final journey to scatter his ashes. First, however, his loved ones have some things to work out.
David, the older son, believes that any minute his life is going to fall apart and everyone he loves will leave him. His brother Scott can't shake the belief that at heart, people are inherently rotten. Doris, their mother, just doesn't believe in anything anymore.
Wickedly funny and biting, The Punch is an essential exploration of modern American grief, family violence, and redemption from the bestselling author of Before the Fall and creator of the Emmy award-winning series FARGO.
"Noah Hawley really knows how to keep a reader turning the pages." -- New York Times

Critic reviews

"Noah Hawley is one of our great young writers, able to balance breakneck plotting with real emotion, and with THE PUNCH he has struck gold. No reader should pass this by."—Andrew Sean Greer, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of LESS

"Noah Hawley writes irresistible fiction. I devoured THE PUNCH in three hours flat, stopping only to marvel over the freshness of a phrase or the effortless wit of a line of dialogue."—Mary Roach, author of STIFF and BONK

"Like an American Martin Amis, Hawley expertly rides the line between hilarity and horror and deftly mines his characters' secret longings-their shame, hope, and desire. At times the story is so exquisitely uncomfortable you'll put your hands over your eyes, but you'll end up peeking between your fingers because it's so wickedly good."—Tom Barbash, author of THE LAST GOOD CHANCE and ON TOP OF THE WORLD

"Noah Hawley really knows hot o keep a reader turning the pages."—New York Times

Soooo Great!

Loved it! Best book in a long time. Laughed and cried. Can’t get better than that.

I can't stop thinking about this book!

Wonderful story peopled with relatable characters. Thought provoking. I loved this! Beautifully written and narrated. #quirkyfamilies#gritty#funny#Tagsgiving#Sweepstakes

Soooo good!

Noah has an understanding of the human condition that, as awkward, as obscure, as unforgiving and even as tragic as it may be, allows him to uncover it’s underlining beauty and eloquence..

Moving Family Drama

I very much enjoyed this beautifully and honestly written book. An unscathing portrait of a dysfunctional but intensely connected family. It is written through the voices of different members of the family which gives the reader the opportunity to hear multiple sides of the story. An intense and emotional book! I loved the narrator, he has a rich and evocative voice.

Interesting but not engaging

This was my second Noah Hawley book. It is an exploration of time and of family. While interesting, it never completely connected. Not a waste of time but not an easy listen.