Skipping Christmas

Rating:
Summary: Laugh out loud
Review: I'VE BEEN A GRISHAM FAN SINCE A TIME TO KILL. HOWEVER, ONCE HE TOOK A BREAK FROM HIS LEGAL THRILLERS I WAS READY TO DUMP HIM. I WAS DISAPPOINTED WITH A PAINTED HOUSE. BUT, I'M HAPPY TO SAY HE HAS REDEEMED HIMSELF WITH SKIPPING CHRISTMAS. I WAS CONSTANTLY LAUGHING OUT LOUD, AND RELAYING SOME TIDBIT FROM THE BOOK TO MY HUSBAND. I AM LOOKING FORWARD WITH GRISHAM ANTICIPATION TO THE SUMMONS. WELCOME BACK.

Rating:
Summary: Well Worth the Time
Review: This is a short little book. I finished it in a few hours. I think everybody that has had to slog through the stress of holiday shopping, cooking, etc. will be able to relate to this book. It says a LOT about life in suburbia and about all the meaningless junk we've piled on to the season. This book doesn't stack up to his classic legal thrillers, but then it wasn't meant to. Grisham meant it to be a nice little holiday story, and that's just what it is. This will undoubtedly show up as a tv movie some holiday season. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: GRISHAM ???
Review: I CHECKED THE COVER MORE THAN ONCE JUST TO SEE IF SOMEONE OTHER THAN JOHN GRISHAM WROTE THIS. PAINTED HOUSE, LIKE SKIPPING CHRISTMAS, WAS A DEPARTURE FROM THE LEGAL THRILLERS (WHICH I WILL ALWAYS WELCOME) THE DIFFERENCE BEING THAT PAINTED HOUSE WAS A GOOD READ. READING THIS NOVEL ABOUT WHITE-BREAD PEOPLE IN A WHITE-BREAD SUBURB AND ALL THE NONSENSE THAT GOES ON BECAUSE PEOPLE CAN'T TELL A SIMPLE TRUTH (TO THEIR OWN CHILD !) WAS LIKE WATCHING A LEAVE IT TO BEAVER RERUN. DO PEOPLE LIKE THIS REALLY EXIST ? WILL THE REAL JOHN GRISHAM PLEASE STAND UP !

Rating:
Summary: Could not put it down
Review: It is not John Grisham like everyone wants with the high powered lawyers and the one poor lawyer with a conscience who makes it all right. This is a short story about how one poor man tries to go against the thinking of everyone of what his Christmas should be only to find in the end that it is not about money, lights or decorations but rather it is family and how when you least expect it, people that you may partially despise can show you what the spirit of Christmas is all about. It is a light hearted and comical story that had me crying from laughing but at the end for another reason. I bought several for stocking stuffers and at last account they had been read and passed along. My entire family has read it and loved it. Thanks John for once again showing us another side of your character.

Rating:
Summary: Don't skip this book--We NEED this Christmas treasure!
Review: Wow!! I have been a Grisham fan for years, and in fact, picked up and put this book down several times in the bookstore. I have been "burned" by buying a respected author's newest book, and then being disappointed--i.e. Jan Karon's latest ventures!! However, Skipping Christmas made my heart soar!! It is #1 on the best sellers list--so how can our Americans be wrong?? Yes, it's light hearted, Yes, it's whimsical, Yes, it's far-fetched--yet, after what we have endured as a country this past year, don't we all need a break from reality? Do yourself a favor, sit back, put a fire in the fireplace, curl up with your favorite drink and this book, and feel the joy of the holidays!

Rating:
Summary: delightful
Review: It was simply an enjoyable, quick read. I am very glad I took the time to read it.

Rating:
Summary: Not worth the time.
Review: I usually enjoy his books, but I was disappointed with this one. The plot just seemed to repeat itself over and over until I grew quite bored. I found myself waiting for something interesting to happen and it never did. I wouldn't recommend to anyone.

Rating:
Summary: A Different John Grisham, But Still Good
Review: "Skipping Christmas" is obviously a walk on the light side for John Grisham. His presentation reminds me of the well known "It's a Wonderful Life" and not so well known "West Point" by Norman Thomas Remick. Like the above stories, "Skipping Christmas" cleverly informs an important contemporary issue through an easy, refreshing presentation. Hats off to the author for recognizing that people would love to skip the hassles of Christmas, will read about skipping Christmas, but will never do it. In fact, they'll show their true colors by buying this book ------- for Christmas.

Rating:
Summary: Relaxing Reading
Review: This book was easy to read and was very interesting in detail and description. The author made me feel like I knew exactly how the people felt and what was going on. This was the first book I read by John Grisham and would probably read more of his work. I will definitely recommend this book to my friends.

Rating:
Summary: Timely and Timeless
Review: Grisham's "Skipping Christmas" highlights the chaos of the holiday season in entertaining ways. He focuses on the social obligations that have come to represent Christmas and paints believable and comic relationships between characters and their circumstances. While the serious underlying message is there to enjoy, the last fifty pages were full of smiles and laughs. Unpretentous and not over-drawn, this book deserves to be re-read and shared.