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The Punch

By: Noah Hawley
Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini
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Publisher's summary

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 best-selling author of Before the Fall and creator of the Emmy award-winning series Fargo.

With a foreword by the author.

©2018 Noah Hawley (P)2018 Hachette Audio
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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." (Andrew Sean Greer, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Less)

"Noah Hawley really knows how to keep a reader turning the pages." (New York Times)

What listeners say about The Punch

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Soooo Great!

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

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Would highly recommend

Stellar writing that reveals in everyone there are past lives and there might be more to everyone than meets the eye. Beautiful, funny and curiously surprising.
Everything done so perfectly (except the syrupy music) at the very end.
Such a great story, told in delicious prose that I wanted to keep listening to indefinitely. I bow to Noah Hawley.

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3 people found this helpful

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Standard Hawley

I've read other books by Noah Hawley, but I guess I had forgotten about his writing style. He puts together a good story, but always adds his rumination on life, time, etc, so that the plot sometimes takes a while to really come together. Again, it's a good book, but with a bit of superfluous information I sometimes could do without.

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4 people found this helpful

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Perfect

This is one of the best books I’ve listened to in a while. Funny but deep. Startling, really. It will take your breath away. And Eduardo Ballerini was the perfect choice to read it. I didn’t want it to end. I could not stop listening. Wow.

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1 person found this helpful

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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.

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1 person found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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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.

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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

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5 people found this helpful

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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..

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  • Overall
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The best listen ever....!

I was captivated by the voice, the story, the great writing and most of all the insights on life. This was a wonderful listening experience and made my week. I laugh aloud and also paused often with the way Noah Hawley nailed describing the conditions of life's moments. This is a book I will listen to again and I already look forward to it.

(The only negative was the schmaltzy music with the voice over at the very end - ''twas over the top)

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6 people found this helpful

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An epic story

This is the first book I have ever felt the need to review. It was so true to the isolating experience of family dysfunction, grief and existential despair. It's the kind of book I wish I could write! And the performance was spot on. Highly recommend to anyone who knows the pangs of loss and wonders about purpose.

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1 person found this helpful