Rating: 
Summary: Very Funny and Touching
Review: Rarely do I laugh out loud while reading a book. The last half of this book is absolutely hysterical - I was crying! And I found the ending to be quite touching as well. This book is a quick read with the easy flow of all Grisham novels. But there's more to it than meets the eye - some great commentary on modern life. Sure it's a bit exaggerated, but hello, this is a novel, not reality! I strongly recommend this book. One of the best books I've read in a while.
Rating:
Summary: Don't "skip" this book!
Review: This is a totally new genre for Grisham..... but I was not at all disappointed! I was given this book by my friend to read during my flight from Chicago to San Antonio. What a great way to enjoy my trip! It had me laughing aloud to the point of tears! It was so easy to visualize the scenes.... it would make a great holiday animated cartoon! Don't miss the opportunity to truly be entertained!
Rating: 
Summary: Boring!
Review: Clearly the only reason that this book is on best seller lists is the name John Grisham. I have read and enjoyed all of his previous books, but this one was boring. I really cannot think of a redeeming feature.
Rating: 
Summary: Perfect for an easy read
Review: While this book will never be considered a masterpiece of American Literature, it is well written and fun to read. A perfect choice for one of those lazy post-Christmas afternoons.
Rating:
Summary: This should be a movie.
Review: Why was this ever a book? Grisham should have not published this but instead skipped straight to making this a TV movie. It had no depth but had a lot visual comedy that would look good on screen.
Rating: 
Summary: Good book
Review: This is my first Grisham book, and I liked it quite alot. I found it to be quite funny, much of it just in the subtleties of the neighbors' conversations.
My main problem with the book was the way they completely abandoned their cruise plans when Blair decided to come home early with practically no warning, and even lied to her about it. It reminded me of the much overused sitcom plot where the story basis is a lie grown out of control.
But the ending and the message I got from the story left me feeling good.
Rating:
Summary: Not-so-Grishamy, but still a good read
Review: I got this book because I loved the jacket. My copy has a Christmas tree on it, red background. Anyway, I was so intrigued with how this couple would accomplish skipping Christmas that I didn't stop until I finished the entire book. Well okay, it took me two days to finish it because it was at the height of Christmas when I read it. It was a relax read and I had a good couple of laughs. I guess that's what I needed to relax and feel Christmas... and realized that Christmas should never be skipped... ever.I've recommended this book to my friends and told them not to expect the typical Grisham book. It's light... a perfect breather from our busy lives.
Rating:
Summary: Grisham Strikes Again
Review: In my opinion Grisham has written a brilliant novel. I'm sure in the next years it will become a award winning movie played by some of the biggest actors in this business. Grisham starts off by showing reality of everyday life and of a normal family having a hard time dealing with their daughter leaving for Christmas, but it ends up portraying this perfect image of the perfect Christmas in this perfect town. This is a great book and shows the ups and downs of Christmas times.
Rating:
Summary: Funny and well written
Review: I think this book is very well written.The author writes about a family who skips christmas because their daughter leaves for college.Its very well written and easy to read. Anyone that likes christmas can relate to this book.Its funny because it show the krank family's consequences of them skipping christmas and shows true reality of what people go through on the occasion.For example spending a large amounts of money on food like fruitcakes and spending lots of time decorating christmas lights.This story is also very suspensful because you want to know what will happen next.
Rating:
Summary: Rand-y John Rips Away Christmas' False Facade
Review: John Grisham, the creator of straight-shooting legal thrillers, is carrying on the thrilling work of Ayn Rand, and he has outdone the master of "The Fountainhead" and "Atlas Shrugged" by taking the standard sentimental Christmas redemption story and turning it on its head in "Skipping Christmas." Within its 177 slim, narrow-margined pages is a feel-good story about the residents of an upper-class neighborhood infused with themes of sexuality, racism and scathing criticisms of Christianity and Soviet collectivism. It's Thanksgiving, and Nora and Luther Krank have sent off their daughter, Blair, to help Peruvian Indians for a year as part of a Peace Corp mission. After floundering amid the incoming tide of Christmas commercialism at the grocery store, Luther conceives the idea of avoiding the holidays by going on a 10-day cruise, beginning on Christmas Day. Astute readers may wonder why they didn't simply avoid the holidays by leaving 10 days before Christmas. But Grisham here is playing on our expectations. He knows, as does the reader, that the Christmas redemption story demands that the Kranks undergo a revival of the Christmas spirit. Having them take off 10 days before would make that impossible. That would be logical. That would make sense. But human beings are not logical, Grisham is saying. We're animals, creatures of flesh and desire, and values such anything as friendship, love and altruism are false. Ayn Rand would have considered Nora and Luther Krank as heroes. So Luther arranges the cruise and buys time at a tanning salon. He convinces his wife to go cold turkey on Christmas. No cards, no gifts, no carols, no tree, no lights, no plastic Frosty statue on the roof. What follows is a series of encounters with neighbors and co-workers, and a parade of symbolically charged figures representing Capitalism enslaved into serving religion. With each encounter, through the phrase, "So, I hear you're not (insert name of Christmas-related activity) this year," the Kranks are pressured into renouncing their Randian beliefs. The mental torture must be immense. When asked, "So, Nora, no Christmas Eve bash this year?" Nora thinks, "you crude little snot." With an ability to peer behind such simple facades, Grisham sees something more sinister behind such innocent comments. Meanwhile, Luther is importuned by Boy Scouts selling overpriced Christmas trees, the police selling calendars, and firefighters selling fruitcakes, all to serve various causes. To each, Luther "forgets" his promise to his wife and rejects their overtures. Instead, he promises each that he'll give them money later. We can bet that Luther will also "forget" these promises. But Nora is not happy. Despite being the wife of a proto-Randian hero, Nora is still and woman and thus doomed to succumb to societal pressures. When their daughter calls the night before Christmas from Miami to say she'll be there for Christmas with her fiancé, Nora gives in. She will reaffirm middle-class values and rebuild the facade that they spent the book trying to tear down. They will have Christmas with all the trappings, and she turns on Luther like an avenging angel. She had endured his stoicism and his belief systems long enough. She has been critical of Luther throughout the book, but this tirade outdoes them all, and climaxes with an echo of the sexual confusion that permeates the whole book: "This was your stupid idea. Well today, you're an idiot. We're having the party, Mr. Beach Bum, and we're putting up a tree, with lights and decorations, and you're going to get your little brown butt up on the roof and do Frosty." Cowed by his wife's anger, Luther rushes about and gathers the fixings for the party, but not before noticing one thing: "Don't Peruvians have dark skin?" he asked. Nora froze for a second. They stared at each other, then both looked away. "I guess it doesn't matter now," she said. "She's not really getting married, is she?" Luther said, in disbelief. But they must put their racism aside. They must get the party together, and what follows is a series of comic scenes reminiscent of the Chevy Chase "National Lampoon" movies: Luther buys a tree from the Scouts, who, being of high moral character, shafts him on the price. He borrows a decorated tree from a neighbor and gets the police called on him. Luther tries to "do Frosty" and slides off the roof, and is saved from destruction only by a stray rope around his ankle. Then, when he confesses the real reason to his neighbors, they agree to help, solely because they love Blair, "who was like a daughter to them all." And that's not all from the joy-master. The Kranks' fears about a dark-skinned Peruvian is abated. It turns out that he is a doctor capable of speaking English who was educated in London and whiter than Luther's tan. Grisham had set up the tanning-bed sequence with a double purpose, and he sets off the charge that results in an explosion of hearty laughter from the reader. After giving away the trip to a neighbor he doesn't like whose wife has breast cancer and will die, Luther feels blessed. Despite being boring and selfish and a racist and having no friends whatsoever, Luther gets pulled out of a jam, not because of who he is, but because he's related to someone people love. Luther has come to realize that he can be a true Randian hero, knowing that he won't have to suffer the consequences because of his powerful position within the company, and because his neighbors are in the thrall of his daughter. He has no regrets for what he's done nor regrets for his beliefs. Although temporarily defeated, Luther reflects optimistically on the future, thus setting the stage for "Skipping Christmas 2," in which Grisham will expound further on the merits of Objectivism. But with its brevity, its wit, and its deep undercurrents, "Skipping Christmas" is a brilliant tour de force that will continue to inspire debate and deep furrowed thinking.
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