Rating: 
Summary: What a piece of (...)
Review: I have never in my life read a book that (...) me off more than this horrible little book. At first I liked it well enough, though I did think the wife, Nora, was much to concerned with what people she wasn't even close to would think about her and her husband skipping Christmas. But by the last 4 chapters I was dreading each word. Could such a wonderful message really end by backtracking on everything the rest of the book was about? How could a couple that was treated so poorly by neighbors and associates in the end welcome them with open arms, just for the sake of how they would appear to their daughter and a total stranger? After all their hard work and their wonderful dreams, how could they turn their back on their plans and decide that instead of telling a 23-year old the truth, that lying to their own daughter was the better option? Is it too much to ask that people are supportive of other people choices in their own lives which has no impact on anyone elses life? This book is all about what is wrong with Christmas in the end. Fake friends, false happiness, buying and giving gifts just because Tis the Season. Luther had it right, make yourself happy. You only live once.
Rating: 
Summary: Skipping Christmas: The New Sin?
Review: Skipping Christmas? Sounds mystical to me. I was thinking, when I saw the title of this book, that the couple was about to deny there's even Christmas or something, only to later discover that Grisham purposed the couple to merely go on a holiday.
Pretty much an American culture to stay home, throw parties and go to attend Church services for Christmases. Here in Singapore, there's a totally different perspective; people in fact deliberately go on a vacation on Christmas! Thanks to this book, I have got closer to the American culture.br>
Unlike other Grisham novels (and thrillers), which are usually about law, legislation and ligitious America, he seems to have become a little more humorous and homely here. Characters are fashioned to interact in such a close-to-the-heart manner, which easily compels a reader to believe in this story (besides notion that skipping-Christmas-is-wrong bit).
Not a typical page turner though, and the I would say that the climax of the story is pretty gentle and not at all dramatic as one would expect a Grisham story to be so.
One great regret: The book is paced real slow, almost to a crawl in the first 100 pages when similar anecdotal episodes in the lives of the Kranks get repeated umpteenth time, and bound to drive everyone to sleep with a not-again complaint. But the story picks up pretty well at the end, and pretty unpredictable too.
If you think of buying this this Christmas for someone contemplating to skip Christmas 2001, attach a personal note to it and it might be a little more effective. Christmas is never too often, and you would appreciate it if you live in Singapore where Christmases are in actual fact a shopping festival. :o(
Rating: 
Summary: A quick simple read
Review: This is a quick cute read but lacks substance and storyline. I was hoping that it would be as enjoyable as "Painted House" but was disappointed. Very predictable ending. I would have liked to see Grisham develop the characters more.
Rating: 
Summary: Can a film be far behind
Review: Not since his sophomore outing, "The Pelican Brief," has John Grisham served up as slight or film-adaptable offering as "Skipping Christmas."
The book is more a novella than a novel, weighing in at a swift but enjoyable to read 176 pages. The author uses our familiarity with the hustle and bustle of the season and the nagging suburbon sterotypes to good effect in telling a tale of a couple, the Kranks, who plan to skip Christmas and take a 10-day cruise instead.
One can see Steve Martin and Sigourney Weaver slipping snugley into the roles of the 50-something Luther and Nora Krank, with, say, John Hughes or Chris Columbus manning the directorial chair. Katie Holems would be excellent as the Kranks' daughter Blair, who joins the Peace Corps and leaves for Peru the weekend following Thanksgiving.
The bulk of the novel deals with Luther and Nora's plight as they deal with disenchanted neighbors, friends and aquaintances, who can't believe the Kranks, long known for their must-attend Christmas Eve party, will not do Christmas this year.s
With the right screen adaption and direction, the story, with its numberous ironic scenes, slapstic climas and sentimental ending, would make an excellent screw-ball comedy in the vein of Capra classic "You Can't Take It With You."
The novel's not a classic, but it is a fun read.
Rating:
Summary: Don't Bother!
Review: This book is mean-spirited and hostile right up to the very predictible ending where all the characters who have constantly treated one another meanly throughout come together in an unconvincing show of Christmas spirit. It's unconvincing because "Christmas Spirit" is what is sorely lacking from this story. And humor? I found very little to even smile about. The lead characters, Mr. & Mrs. Krank, decide to NOT do all the Christmas hoopla one year and take the money they will save and splurge it on themselves instead. Does this seem like a radical idea in this day and age to you? It didn't to me either, especially considering how commercial the holiday has become and knowing this is the first year they will be without their daughter. It made perfect sense to me. And yet not one of their acquaintainces or their circle of so-called "friends" offers one ounce of support for their decision. A few offer envy, that's about as close as the author comes to endorsing the Krank's view that Christmas has gotten out of control and they'd rather just
take a break one year from all the chaos surrounding it. Are the Krank's bad people because they decide one year to spend the thousands of dollars they would normally spend on Christmas on themselves? Their neighbors and friends seem to think so and spend almost the entire book not letting them forget it. This book also completely lacks any relationship between the characters and the true meaning of Christmas. It's all about parties and gifts and conspicuous and expensive wastes of money in the name of the holiday. There's no kindness or empathy or understanding among the folk who inhabit this world. And nothing of Christ at all. I also found the notion that everyone the Krank's knew or met would be so appalled by their idea. In this day and age, with the commercialization of the holiday, I think many people would sympathize with one's desire to not ride the Christmas roller-coaster once in a while. But worst of all, I don't know what the author was trying to say about people or the holiday. The people act meanly toward one another throughout the book. Is that in the spirit of Christmas?And the holiday seems to be all about decorations and parties and not pleasing yourself at all, but trying endlessly to please everyone else. That doesn't seem like a recipe for holiday cheer to me. Sure, it all comes out in the end, but I found it hard to forget the hostility up to that point. By the end, I didn't care whether any of them had a nice Christmas or not. If you feel you must read this book, I suggest the library. That's where I got my copy and I am very glad I did. This is not a keeper at all.
Rating:
Summary: Humbug. Skipping Christmas is a humbug.
Review: I hate to be critical of such a well-meaning book, but it really is below mediocre. I've never read any Grisham, so I have no idea how it stacks up against his usual, but it stacks up pretty poorly indeed against every other piece of fiction I've read in the last 2 years. First, the premise is barely plausible. Seizing on a financial motivation for "skipping" Christmas, the protagonist proceeds to throw out the baby with the bathwater. Is his motivation thrift or mean-spiritedness? Grisham makes no effort to indicate that the protagonist is mean-spirited, but without that, the plot development rings false, and the (I don't think I've giving anything away here) late conversion doesn't seem all that interesting. Second, the characters are all one- or two-dimensional. These are-- at best-- paper cutouts of people. Third, and I'd have to say the crucial failing for me, was the utter flatness of the dialogue. This is the Tom Clancy school of dialogue. There wasn't a single laugh for me in the book, although Grisham was clearly trying to make it whimsical. The dialogue was almost exclusively exposition, yielding little insight into the characters. Two stars, one for being about Christmas and one for being readable (and probably writeable) in a single sitting. It's clearly not trying to be much, and it succeeds at that.
Rating:
Summary: Hilarious Comedy
Review: A very funny and pleasurable book to enjoy before the holidays.
So completely unlike Mr. Grisham's previous works. I am an avid fan of Mr. Grisham.
Rating:
Summary: Skip Skipping Christmas
Review: After reading the first chapter of Skipping Christmas on the internet I was motivated enough to part with some of my hard-earned money to buy a copy.
Unfortunately I wasted my money. The rest of the book did not live up to the first chapter.
Having read some of Grisham's exciting writing,I am having trouble with the notion that this is one of his books. His other books have main characters who are strong individuals. The Krank's, on the other hand are wishy-washy, afraid of their neighbors, terrified of disapproval by others. The theme of the book-that Christmas has become an expensive chore instead of a delight-certainly has merit. Luther Krank's decision to "skip" Christmas (meaning skip all the usual preparations) and go on a cruise instead seems innovative and I cheered him. But the rest of the book is spend with Luther and Nora abolutely COWERING in fear over what their neighbors say and do.
Very frustrating silly book. Anyone want to buy mine?
Lynn Badler
Rating:
Summary: A light one sitting read
Review: This book was enjoyable. I was a bit disappointed in the end though. It all came to a close so fast that I felt kind of cheated. It is good for a lighthearted read however. It was a bit farfetched that any neighborhood would come together like that one did though. I cant imagine anyone's neighbors in these days and times being so wrapped up in each others lives.
Rating:
Summary: Am I reading the same book?
Review: I suspect that Grisham needed a few extra bucks for Christmas spending as this newly published attempt at fiction appears to be a rush job. SKIPPING CHRISTMAS is unworthy of his writing talents. Obviously it will reach the top of the 10 Best, but it arrives there only because of his prior books. My conclusion? A total waste of time. Bah humbug!
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