Who *hasn’t* felt the way Luther and Nora Krank feel when they decide to sit this Christmas out? Identification with that feeling immediately connects you to the main characters of this charming, outrageously funny book. The societal pressures the Kranks have to face in their quest for a non-holiday holiday are those that, while made larger for the sake of fiction, we all face when deviating from the norm. More subtly, I imagine Grisham has illuminated what it must feel like to be one of the small groups of Americans who don’t celebrate Christmas *any* year.

I dare not say more lest I give away any of the plot of this absolutely terrific book. Just read it, you’ll love it — as long as you’re looking for something fun. This book is not meant to be great literary fiction. It is a light-hearted Christmas tale with a sappy ending. (Would you really want anything different for a Christmas story?) It’s a quick read (I read it in two hours) and laugh-out-loud funny. I actually laughed myself to tears reading this book — a first for me!

I highly recommend this tale as a respite from the stresses of the holidays — perhaps while waiting to get on a plane to your holiday destination!

OK, it’s not your typical Grisham courtroom drama but, once again, he makes a plausible argument for “skipping Christmas” in his latest book of the same title. “Bah Humbug”, I said, when first hearing about the book’s premise until the plans surrounding the main characters’ scheduled departure for the Caribbean sounded so enticing that it left me wondering if they might take me along.

While this book is not about doing away with Christmas forever, it’s one couple’s desire to just skip it, for just one year, and spend the money on a cruise instead. And, why not? Their only child Blair has just left for a stint in Peru with the Peace Corps and they are looking at spending their first Christmas alone in a very long time. But skipping Christmas entirely means not doing anything “holiday” related at all – no cards, no presents, no holiday parties and, most importantly, no rooftop Frosty…the “symbol” of Christmas in their Hemlock Street neighborhood in Illinois. But Luther and Nora KRANK are about to find out what the true “symbol” of Christmas really is — whether they like it or not.

While their friends and neighbors are appalled at their decision to forego the Christmas festivities, Luther and Nora remain stalwart in their resolution of “no Christmas for the Kranks.” Grisham throws some humor into many of the scenes as he has the Kranks hiding out in their own home as carolers sing Christmas songs on their lawn and then has them eating lettuce leaves in an effort to lose weight for the trip.

But it’s the end of the book where the true meaning of Christmas will be exhibited. It’s not money spent or gifts bought or Frosty’s on the roof. It’s much simpler and easier than that. The Kranks will find out that the true meaning of Christmas, in Grisham’s story, is that of giving…giving of yourself. And, you’ll have a good time reading how they get to this point and hoping, just as I am, that all of us will come to this realization during this upcoming holiday season.

…is to be able to skip it.

Who hasn’t said one time or another something to the effect of “next year, let’s keep it simple…let’s go away for Christmas without family and friends.” John Grisham’s “Skipping Christmas” is a fantastic, light-hearted story about how we all feel every Christmas…rushed and broke. This pleasant and quick-to-read tale is a MUST for anyone who needs to take some time out during the holidays for a little bit of “brain candy.” I took this book with me on vacation with me last week and was able to read it within a day.

Grisham is a comedian, it’s a nice breath of fresh air. Everyone should read it…because in the end there’s a positive message ringing to the tune of “this is what Christmas is really all about.”