Rating: 
Summary: Heart warming
Review: Loved it! I laughed out loud at the frenzy. The end brought me to tears. I was touched and quite entertained by the novel.
Thanks Mr. Grisham!
Rating: 
Summary: Christmas Drivel
Review: John Grisham must have need some extra cash to pump out this
boring ode to conformity. A couple decide to "skip Xmas" since their Peace Corps daughter will not be with them. Instead of enjoying a well deserved cruise, they are bullied by their sheep-like neighbors when they refuse to do what every other neighbor has done in their Stepford Wives community. When they lose their resolve and bail out of their cruise, we are delived a crummy ending by their totally spoiled adult child.Save your money. I'm a Grisham fan, but this reeks.
Rating: 
Summary: Great, fun holiday reading
Review: What a great, amusing holiday read about Christmas...I chuckled out loud at Luther's over the top neighbors and you really begin to think about how ridiculous the whole Christmas frenzy has become. Wouldn't it be gret to skip the whole season and hassle? Great read...definitely recommend it!
Rating:
Summary: Holiday Tale from Grisham?
Review: The story is about a couple who decides to make a change while their daughter is away in Peru in the Peace Corps. They attempt to avoid the enslaving Christmas traditions that have always been a part of their lives and do something for themselves for a change. With growing opposition from friends and neighbors, the Kranks soon realize how difficult "Skipping Christmas" will really be.This story is written in Grisham's easy-to-read style without the heavy crime or law drama. Surprisingly enjoyable.
Rating:
Summary: funny
Review: I never knew Grisham could write a heart warming / funny story. Job well done! Its about a man who wants to skip cristmas go on vacation and forget all the whoopla and trouble that comes with the holidays. can he suceed ? you'll see.
Rating: 
Summary: Not a classic, but a nice holiday story you can relate to
Review: With their daughter off to Peru with the Peace Corps, Luther Krank and his somewhat-willing wife Nora have decided to skip Christmas this year. After totalling last years damage at over $6,000, with little to show for it, they decide to take a Carribbean cruise instead of spending money on gifts, parties, and decorations. The main problem, however, is that Hemlock Street is one of the most festive steets in town during the holiday season. And their neighbors on Hemlock Street aren't too pleased with the Krank's decision. I think many people can relate to the Krank's desire to avoid the busy pace of Christmas, although Luther is perhaps a bit extreme. But with the hectic feeling the holidays bring, I felt as envious as Luther's co-workers as he prepared for his upcoming cruise. And while the neighbors reaction was initially funny, as Luther digs in his heels and things on Hemlock Street begin to get a bit ugly, the story became somewhat uncomfortable and tense. But, of course, there's a happy ending, and while it's no Christmas classic, it was a nice easy read with a holiday theme.
Rating:
Summary: An easy read..
Review: This book took me a few hours to read. Although it was enjoyable and he does have points, I did agree that at times annoying. I agree, this time of year is frustrating. People have forgotten what Christmas really is, along with just enjoying family and friends. Everyone gets so caught up in decorating, and presents. I do however would have liked to see an alternate ending.. It bombed at the end for me, although the neighborly thing was nice.
Rating:
Summary: (4 1/2) A Delightful Christmas Fantasy
Review: The numerous reviews already posted for this delightful book by John Grisham clearly obviate the need for me to weigh in with my comments. Nevertheless, I have decided that there is such a wide diversity of opinion that I might as well add my voice to the mix and hopefully provide a slightly different perspective that perhaps might be of value to a potential purchaser. Several summary points - first, this is not at all a typical Grisham book, it is more a novella than a novel and a satire/ comedy that expands the range of his accomplishments as a writer. (In the latter regard but not in tone it is similar to BLEACHERS - see review of 10/6/03.) Second, while it is very engaging and there are certainly some moments of tension, it is light and easy reading - only 177 pocket book sized packages. Third, it encompasses a wide range of emotions but is a feel good story exploring the meaning of Christmas, the complexity of our interpersonal relationships and the unexpected twists of fate. Last, some aspect of the story will undoubtedly provoke a spark of recognition in most readers regarding some similar incident in their own lives. The plot is simplicity itself - Thanksgiving weekend Blair Krank waves goodbye to her parents (Luther and Nora) and boards a plane to begin her service as a Peace Corps volunteer in Peru. Nora is consumed with worry about her daughter's safety, and Luther soon realizes that the family's Christmas routine of the past twenty-three years has now been completely altered. Being an accountant, Luther soon performs a cost/benefit analysis and reaches the conclusion that the costs of Christmas (financial combined with the psychological and physical stress) outweigh the benefits, especially given Blair's absence. Therefore, he plots how to convince Nora that they should consider SKIPPING CHRISTMAS and enjoy a holiday cruise instead. While she is initially resistant, they eventually agree and plan to avoid the usual Christmas routine (parties, gifts, decorations, etc.) and instead prepare for their holiday respite. However, Luther soon finds that he has forgotten the other side of the ledger and there are hidden costs to forgoing their Christmas celebration and some overlooked benefits of the usual routine. While a few of Luther's associates are supportive and he suspects many more are secretly envious, Nora's friends view their decision with suspicion and she remains very ambivalent about their plans. Also, they become neighborhood outcasts as their yard remains devoid of decorations and (as depicted on the bookjacket) their rooftop alone on Hemlock Street remains without Frosty the Snowman to celebrate the season. And just when it seems they have successfully overcome all hurdles and their departure is within sight, as is often the case fate takes one last unexpected twist. Any doubts about the tone and message of this book should be dispelled at the very beginning; after all, who except a Krank would decide not to celebrate Christmas? And yet, there is undoubtedly some aspect of the decision to which every reader can relate. And the ending was close to perfect, with the outcome reflecting the human condition and our relationships very poignantly. The final two brief sentences captured the ambivalence of the book extremely well. The book can be read during a plane or train trip or while relaxing during a winter evening, and its cleverness and Grisham's ability to perfectly capture the essence of the character types involved caused me to round up my rating to five stars despite its brevity and its lack of any true surprises. As an aside, I also recommend David Baldacci's THE CHRISTMAS TRAIN (review 11/20/02) as another out-of-type story by another well known author for any readers who want a delightful and uplifting Christmas story with a somewhat more complex plot and less predictable storyline. Tucker Andersen
Rating:
Summary: Could not stop reading!!!!!
Review: When I started to read this book, I didn't like it. I think it's because of the stubbornness of Luther Krank. Luther and Nora Krank are skipping Christmas, for their daughter, Blair, is away from home for helping other people in Peru with the Peace Corps. Luther decides to take the Caribbean cruise instead of doing Christmas. The way Luther determines not to celebrate Christmas bored me. I was like tired of reading how he acts. But as I continued with the book, I found it interesting to see how Luther has done to show he won't do Christmas this year, and they are going to the luxury Island Princess, then everything is like "....bboooommmm...." Blair is calling from Miami airport that she is going to take her fiancée, Enrique, a Peruvian doctor, home for "American Christmas." When I read that, I was like " Yeahhh! " Everything is changed since that call, for Nora does not tell Blair the truth. Poor Luther, who was so eager with his cruise, now has to do what he determined not to do several days earlier. I was really laughing when I read Chapter 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17. I won't tell what happens. You check it out yourself so that you could enjoy the book... And I don't know why, but when I read through chapter 18, I felt the warmth and kind of neighbors. I felt like I wanted to be there, in Hemlock Street.
Now, I have just finished the book. I can say I love it. I just could not stop reading since the call of Blair in chapter 12. I usually love to read books having contents with a lot of thinkings or books that make you think about life, about facts, or books that you could end up with something meaningful. But this book is different. You don't have to think a lot or go deeper into the ideas of the author to find another meanings or whatever... But..Yes, this's a good book. You'll enjoy it.
Rating:
Summary: The Book of Christmas
Review: John Grisham was successful in Skipping Christmas. It was strange and interested "Skipping Christmas". Because of the leaving of their daughter, Blair, and the big amount of money they had spent on the previous Christmas. Our characters, Luther and Nora decided to skip Christmas for a trip 10 days to Princess Island in Caribbean. So many chaos things happened around their plan. The author would lead the reader's emotion down to the bottom by Bev's cancer, and went up to the top by the Blair's phone call. Just a phone call, it changed whole plane, Luther and Nora had to do Christmas in 6 hours. They had to have Christmas tree, frosty on the roof, dinner and decorated the house. You will find out the most interesting part of the book in chapter 13 to 20. Luther was arrest by the officers and he was hung up on the roof...
You will find out who will be the meaningful friends in your life, when you are in hardship. And what Christmas means to you. I don't like to read a lot, I would through the book away if it was boring. But with Skipping Christmas, I read it from the beginning to the end without stopping; it was a good one to enjoy.
|
