Rating: 
Summary: Skip Skipping Christmas
Review: An uninteresting, bigoted, rich and superficial couple has the first interesting idea of their lives and this book follows their complete inability to recognize it or follow-through. I was apalled with these characters, and actually read through the entire book hoping to find out that Grisham had somehow addressed their inexcusable traits--No luck.The premise is interesting--a couple wants to forego the commercialism of christmas. If only the people were anywhere near as interesting as that idea. Its almost as if without shopping and hobnobbing they don't have anything left to do. From its gross portrayal of a 'middle-class' family who barely blinks at wasting thousands of dollars on something they'll never use, to a mother and father whose racism shows brightly on Christmas Eve, this book deserves only one place on your Christmas morning--in the fire.
Rating: 
Summary: Grisham does it again!
Review: Once again John Grisham makes us all take a long look at how we behave during the holiday season. If you're expecting the in depth character and plot development or the gripping drama that Grisham is famous for, you may be disappointed. This ia a very light hearted look at how foolish we can become when we get all wrapped up in the holiday rush. I laughed until it hurt at the sight of Luther hanging from the roof by the extension cord. I've loaned this to several friends. We all agree that this is a must read for Christmas. Skipping Christmas is a quick, easy read that will make you laugh and cry at the same time. Well done Mr. Grisham! LOVED IT!
Rating:
Summary: Definitely Five Stars...........Wonderful Christmas story
Review: I have just finished "Skipping Christmas", and must say I found this book absolutely hilarious. This is definitely one book not to be skipped.
I totally identified with Luther Krank, as I too (and I am sure many of you) have felt like skipping Christmas at one time or another.
As Luther proceeds with his plan to skip the festivities and instead go on a Caribbean cruise, he reluctantly gets the cooperation of his wife Nora, but his nosy neighbours on Hemlock Street have other ideas which sabotages his plans.Then when Blair, his daughter, announces she is coming home for the holidays,the craziness takes a different twist.
This is a good lighthearted read, throwing a comical spin on the madness of the holidays.
Highly recommended. Give yourself and friends this book for Christmas.
Rating: 
Summary: Fun!
Review: Grisham is a brilliant storyteller, with a dry sense of humour. This is light-hearted and fun, although amusing rather than funny. Don't expect the usual depths of character and plot you may normally associate with this great author. For me "The Testament" is his best. But this is definitely worth reading. I enjoyed it.
Rating: 
Summary: Promising Story line, Falls a tad short.
Review: Skipping Christmas is a decent enough novella, yet after Mr. Grishams novel "A Painted House", I was expecting something more.
The story revolves around the Kranks, a typical suburban family going through some growing pains. Their daughter has suddenly joined the peace corps., and they will be spending thier first Christmas without her. Mr. Krank, who figures that the family spent 6,000 dollars on gifts the year before on useless gifts, food and holiday donations, has a Scroogeian epiphany. With the progeny away, why pay for a holiday that has lost its meaning in over-priced gifts, cartoon sentiment and Faux cheer.
Armed with this indisputable logic, Luther Krank convinces his wife to skip the holiday and spend the time pampering themselves on a luxury cruise. Sounds simple enough, yet unforeseen complications repeatedly spring up, causing consternation and doubt. Seems friends, family and neighbors can not fathom what the Kranks are about, and set about trying to convince the beleagured couple the errors of thier heathen ways.
The story has its moments, an unbelieveable cast of neighbors who seem punch drunk on egg nog being one, and makes some very good points. The holiday is lost in sales and commercialized sentiment, and Grisham has a very neat handle on reasons why this is. Every person who has weathered holiday crowds, dealt with third cousins twice removed, and paid credit card bills, has dreamt about skipping Christmas. Yet the lead protagonists character is, at times, so crumdgeonly that despite his well thought reasons to bypass the winter event, you cannot seem to agree with his miserly tangents. In addition to that foible, he is also mean towards his wife. he brow beats her into his way of thinking and ignites if she disagrees.
In turn, she goes from meek, to mean, to undecided and back again. In fact the only reason this novel didn't reaonate with me as much as I hoped it wouls, is because of The Kranks. is this book worth the price? Yes. It is a decent departure for Mr. Grisham, and a semi-amusing read.
Rating:
Summary: Good Timing
Review: What a lovely surprise Mr. Grisham has dropped on us at this time of year!!!! Very fitting and with lots of fun for this December month of Christmas.....the time of year all the world loves best. With the couple's daughter Blair going of on the Peace Corps Services, the couple decide that Christmas is a waste of time and money, trying to keep up with the Joneses.....and the only remedy they can find right now of beating this is 'Skipping it.' See what happens as Nora and Luther Krank (do you want for a better surname?)set sail for their adhoc-planned Caribbean Cruise getting away from the holiday tradition and the neighbours who expect so much of them, and are dumbfounded
by their sudden arrangement. Enjoy this piece of humour from a man of worthwhile surprises. Take a bow Mr. Grisham. Can't wait for your latest book THE SUMMONS. Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year to all my friends at Amazon.com and may God richly bless you.!!! Nutface
December 9th 2001
Rating:
Summary: Grisham's Humor Shines Through
Review: John Grisham deals with a subject my own family brings up from time to time - the commercialism of Christmas and why don't we just skip it. Of course, we never do. However, it was great living it vicariously through another family! Mr. Grisham has a great sense of humor and lets it shine through with this one.
Rating:
Summary: A FUN READ
Review: I got this book for my birthday. It's not heavy reading but it's a fun distraction from the holidays. I really laughed out loud to how the neighbors gave Luthur The grief about not puting up a frosty on his house. This book will apeal to the small inner Grinch that appears inside all of us during all the holiday hoopla.
Rating:
Summary: Bah, humbug!
Review: In his second consecutive departure from his wildly successful legal thrillers (following "A Painted House", a really good book!) John Grisham presents a modern Christmas fable in "Skipping Christmas". With their only child away from home in the Peace Corps, Luther and Nora Krank, actually mostly Luther--Nora follows along weakly--decide to forego the usual round of Christmas parties, cards, house decorating, shopping, cooking and general madcap whirl to take a Caribbean cruise. This creates a little (very!) admiration, some envy and a lot of anger among their co-workers, friends and neighbors. I must admit some curmudgeonly sympathy with the Kranks in their attempt to go a different direction. But what Grisham intends, I think, to be a light, funny reminder of the important themes underlying our too commercialized holidays, becomes, for me, off-putting. The neighbors with their anger over Luther's refusal to put up a snowman on his roof, are way too serious a reminder of suburban conformity run amuck to be truly funny. There is a Jim Carrey movie waiting to be born here: funny, slapsticky and rather mean. I don't think that is what Grisham intended.
Rating:
Summary: Not worth the publishing costs
Review: I have read all of Grisham's books and liked them all (although I thought Painted House was only 'okay'). I found his latest to be offensive (is everyone in this town christian?) and ridiculously unrealistic (why would so many people care?). The ending, obviously, was predictable. Altogether, I would not give it one star; I found it very boring and only read it because my book group picked it. Grisham: Give me a break; go back to the genre you were meant to write in.
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