Background:
I found this book while wondering aimlessly round the local charity shop. I am not a fan of John Grisham as the books I have read so far by this author have disappointed me. I thought I would try this one though as it sounded different to me.
About the author:
John Grisham ... Read review
John Grisham has turned a satirical eye on the overblown ritual of the festive season, and ... more
the result isSkipping Christmas, a modest but funny novel about the tyranny of December 25. Grisham's story revolves around a typical middle-aged American couple...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
John Grisham has turned a satirical eye on the overblown ritual of the festive season, and ... more
the result is Skipping Christmas, a modest but funny novel about the tyranny of December 25. Grisham's story revolves around a typical middle-aged American coupl...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
John Grisham has turned a satirical eye on the overblown ritual of the festive season, and ... more
the result is Skipping Christmas, a modest but funny novel about the tyranny of December 25. Grisham's story revolves around a typical middle-aged American coupl...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
John Grisham has turned a satirical eye on the overblown ritual of the festive season, and ... more
the result isSkipping Christmas, a modest but funny novel about the tyranny of December 25. Grisham's story revolves around a typical middle-aged American couple...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Imagine a year without Christmas. No crowded shops, no corny office parties, no ... more
fruitcakes, no unwanted presents. That's just what Luther and Nora Krank have in mind when they decide that, just this once, they'll skip the holiday altogether.
John Grisham has turned a satirical eye on the overblown ritual of the festive season, and ... more
the result is Skipping Christmas, a modest but funny novel about the tyranny of December 25. Grisham's story revolves around a typical middle-aged American couple, Luther and Nora Krank. On the first Sunday after Thanksgiving they wave their daughter Blair off to Peru to work for the Peace Corps, and suddenly realise that "for the first time in her young and sheltered life Blair would spend Christmas away from home". Luther Krank sees his daughter's Christmas absence as an opportunity. An accountant, Luther quickly estimates that "a year earlier, the Luther Krank family had spent $6,100 on Christmas", and had "precious little to show for it". Luther makes an executive decision, telling his wife, friends and neighbours that "we won't do Christmas". Instead, Luther books a 10-day Caribbean cruise. All goes well until people get wind of the Kranks' subversive scheme. Everyone, from Christmas card salesmen to horrified neighbours, besieges the couple with questions; what about the Christmas party, carols and the erection of Frosty the Snowman? Things start to turn nasty in the local neighbourhood. Grisham builds up a funny but increasingly terrifying picture of how the tightknit community turn on the Kranks, who find themselves under increasing pressure to conform. As the tension mounts, will they ever manage to board their plane on December 25? Skipping Christmas is Grisham-lite, with none of the serious drama of earlier books such as The Pelican Brief, but a funny poke at the craziness of Christmas. --Jerry Brotton
Postage & Packaging:£2.75 Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: Witty and enjoyable Disadvantages: Quite short and not expanded enough
...simply told them they were skipping Christmas this year.
Meanwhile in their small middle class street preparations for the festive season where in full swing. A highly organised and proud neighbourhood where putting all their lights, frosties and decorations out for the world to see. As the road seeks to win the award for the best festive decorations in the area. Only one house has none and one house has let the neighbourhood down. .../>
This is the third novel by this author that I have reviewed. And as such I really wasn't sure what to expect this time round. I liked the concept of a couple trying to do something different in missing Christmas and that was why I bought it.
Initially I struggled to get into the book and I thought I would rather hear about their daughter's trip to Peru than a 'stuffy couple' attempt to avoid Christmas. But in truth it grew ... more
Background:
I found this book while wondering aimlessly round the local charity shop. I am not a fan of John Grisham as the books I have read so far by this author have disappointed me. I thought I would try this one though as it sounded different to me.
About the author:
John Grisham was born in Arkansas in USA on February 8th 1955. Before becoming a writer he worked in a law practice, and this is quite often a theme in some of his bestselling novels. So far he has written 21 successful books of which I am reviewing his 13th, which was written in 2001.
Synopsis of the book:
Following the departure of their only daughter Blair to Peru for a year Norma and Luther Krank decided to skip Christmas that year. Luther an accountant by trade had totted up the previous one and worked out it would be much cheaper for them both on a 12 day cruise to the Caribbean, rather than have a lonely Christmas without their daughter.
This was something once considered they were both really looking forward to. But oddly enough something all their friends and neighbours found perplexing and even plain weird. So whenever anyone came round in the build up to the big day, to sell them seasonal goods such as Calendars, cards or even fruit cakes they simply told them they were skipping Christmas this year.
Meanwhile in their small middle class street preparations for the festive season where in full swing. A highly organised and proud neighbourhood where putting all their lights, frosties and decorations out for the world to see. As the road seeks to win the award for the best festive decorations in the area. Only one house has none and one house has let the neighbourhood down.
My thoughts on the book:
This is the third novel by this author that I have reviewed. And as such I really wasn't sure what to expect this time round. I liked the concept of a couple trying to do something different in missing Christmas and that was why I bought it.
Initially I struggled to get into the book and I thought I would rather hear about their daughter's trip to Peru than a 'stuffy couple' attempt to avoid Christmas. But in truth it grew on me and despite my prejudices against the author I found I really enjoyed it.
The most important reason why I enjoyed it was it was for the humour in the book. For me it was the greatest storyline ever, but what made it for me was the situations and circumstances the couple found themselves in and the way no-one around them seemed to be able to comprehend what they were doing.
It was always well written as they author transposed himself into the characters of Mr and Mrs Krank. Making what they were doing appear to the reader as logical and sensible given their situation. Whereas all around them people were bewildered by their usual decision. The authors description and of some of their antics were priceless and I wondered what on earth would happen next.
The novels length was comparatively short and I just wondered if the author could have expanded the plot a little more. It was a good concept and just felt he could have added to the wit within the book by creating a few more scenes. As he glossed over some aspects of the Christmas preparations which I think was a mistake.
I won't ruin the story for those who haven't read it but there is a twist and turn or two in the story, which again I thought could have been elaborated and turned into a more complex and funnier situation. In some ways I thought the book was slightly rushed.
The characters in the book where all well developed. I never really warmed to Mr or Mrs Krank the lead characters. But I did find the supporting characters particularly the neighbours very funny and well scripted. They all had good personalities and shared a confusion as to what the couple were doing trying not to celebrate the festive season.
The concluding chapters of the book was both fast paced and highly entertaining. I think Grisham rounded the book of well and tied up all the lose end superbly. I found the book very easy to read without taxing me and at times it made me laugh out loud at some of the cinarious created.
By no means a masterpiece, but a piece never the less of good fun and an entertaining read. As Grisham's writing was always easy to follow and despite the difference in culture between the America and the UK, I could relate to what was happening and how this odd couple could be treated with distain for what they were planning to do. At a time when everyone goes mad and buys thing they wouldn't consider the rest of the year.
Conclusion:
Despite my initial concerns I really enjoyed this novel. I found it both well written and a funny piece of fiction. Ideally I would have liked some areas of it expanded but the basic premise of a good enjoyable read for me.
Pages: 177 Publisher: Century Price: Amazon £4.99 Paperback ISBN: 0-7126-2004-4 About the author: www.johngrisham.co.uk
Advantages: Entertaining in parts. Disadvantages: A bit on the short side.
...At only 177 pages Skipping Christmas is a relatively short book which took me about three hours to read including interruptions. It's not a 'heavy' book and one that you could quite easily dip in and out of when time permits. Although slightly 'corny' in places, it's a book which might appeal to those readers who normally shun Grisham's work. On the other hand, hardened Grisham fans mightn't like it. Personally, as a regular Grisham reader, I liked ... ...gone and done it again though, by converting this book into the film 'Christmas with the Kranks'. They've made a right pigs ear of it in the process too, if the reviews I've read are anything to go by. So I'd stick to the book and give the film a wide berth.
Published by Century
ISBN 0712620044
Available from Amazon:-
Hardback £6.99
Paperback £4.79 (new and used from £2.99)
Mass market paperback £3.66 (new and used from £2.78). ...
scampi1 09.12.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Skipping Christmas - John Grisham
Advantages: Very readable and enjoyable Disadvantages: May have you calculating the costs of your own Christmas
Skipping Christmas is John Grisham's 2001 offering. His previous works include The Juror, The Pelican Brief, The Client and The Firm. Grisham usually writes novels set in and around law courts and legal issues, with key characters who are lawyers and defendants, Skipping Christmas is pleasantly different to this norm. I know that the book is listed in the 'thriller' section on Ciao, but this isn't the right place for it. My copy of Skipping Christmas ... ...Christmas. The story of Skipping Christmas is a simple one. The blurb begins 'Luther unfolded a spreadsheet and began pointing. 'Here, my dear, is what we spent last Christmas.''. I am a huge lover of Christmas, and found the negative attitude of look how much we spent and look how little we have to show a little off-putting, but I read on through the blurb and discovered that the solution to this, in Luther's mind, is to take a cruise, and so miss ...
M.Newcastle 22.09.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Skipping Christmas - John Grisham
Advantages: Funny, easy to read Disadvantages: Short
...might say, but it is. Skipping Christmas is indeed a far cry from the likes of A Time to Kill and the Firm, the books that made us love the intricate and gripping storytelling genius of Mr Grisham. This is not to say that it isn't just as well received, in fact it made it to the big screen in 2004, as Christmas With The Kranks, starring Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis and Dan Aykroyd.
-The Story-
When their daughter decides to head off to Peru for ... ...cruise in the Carribbean and skipping the events entirely.
As they determine to slim down and hit the sunbeds, all the while dreaming of two weeks in the sun, they try to avoid the holiday season completely. From writing a polite but firm letter to his colleagues explaining his intentions, to being the only one not adorn their house with the traditional Frosty (thereby potentially preventing their street from winning the neighbourhood award for ...
dkm1981 27.02.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Skipping Christmas - John Grisham
Advantages: easy to pick up at any point Disadvantages: none
I used to be an avid reader of the first 5 or 6 John Grisham books but after a while although the stories were a good read they had started to get a bit montonous following the underdog/lawyer theme . I then went onto reading 'chick lit' books interspersed with the occasional medical story for a change.
Yesterday I joined the local library thinking that Tesco had had far too much of my money and I was running out shelf space to put these new books ... ...and the cover appealed to me (that is how I choose most of my books!!). The brief synopsis on the back cover was as follows:
Luther unfolded a spreadsheet and began pointing. "Here my dear, is what we spent last Christmas. Six thousand, one hundred dollars. And precious little to show for it. The vast majority of it down the drain. Wasted. And that, of course, does not include my time, your time, the traffic, stress, worry, bickering, ill-will, ...
Lexie001 14.05.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Skipping Christmas - John Grisham
