As a reader that is not a basketball fan, maybe I am giving this a biased rating. It was an interesting story. Feinstein does a good job illustrating the difference in the rules and regulations, and even the culture, before and after the fateful Punch. Unfortunately he circles around the event over and over, repeating many of the same facts. He focuses more on Washington's side of the story--but then, he does mention in the introduction that Washington was much more willing to talk about the event than Tomjanovich. Feinstein did a very good job relaying their early biographies, but the whole book comes off as unpolished. ( )

Feinstein is a great writer, this book was FILLED with information and anecdotes, but it flowed very nicely. However, I felt that there were parts that were really repetitious. Also, I felt that there was a skew towards Kermitt's side of things. I kinda started to get bored towards the end but I am glad that I pushed through to the end. ( )

John Feinstein, a fabulous sports writer, recounts one of the ugliest nights in NBA history. A game between the Houston Rockets and the LA Lakers erupted into a fist fight. During this fight, Kermit Washington threw a punch that hit Rudy Tomjanovich so hard that it dislodged his skull and nearly killed him. After the fight - neither man was ever the same again.

Feinstein looks at the aftermath of what happened to these two men. He takes us up close and personal inside the lives of these two great athletes and shows us how this one punch changed two lives, the sport of basketball, and society from that point. ( )

What makes the Punch such a fascinating read is not only the play by play of the punch and the events leading up to it, but Feinstein is adament about making the reader understand these two players as people. Sports writing meets biography. There is an urgency to make one understand that both of these men were passionate people before they were passionate players. Feinstein carefully illustrates the tough beginnings, the drive and potential each of these basketball stars demonstrated at an early age, including their schooling, family lives and social circles. Even black and white photgraphs help bring Kermit and Rudy into reality. ( )

Don't get your ticket punched for this one. While the story of the incident would make a good read, when you don't have good writing or editing, a book strikes out. Oops! Wrong sport. It fouls out! ( )