Book report 2: John Grisham - Skipping Christmas
a. Bente Philippens
b. GA51
c. Skipping Christmas
d. 227 pages
e. John Grisham
f. Doubleday - November 2001
g. John Ray Grisham Jr. born February 8, 1955) is an American novelist, attorney,
politician, and activist, best known for his popular legal thrillers. His books have
been translated into 42 languages and published worldwide. His first novel, A Time
to Kill, was published in June 1989, four years after he began writing it. According
to Academy of Achievement his books have sold 300 million copies and he has
written 28 consecutive number one bestsellers. A Galaxy British Book Awards win-
ner, Grisham is one of only three authors to sell two million copies on a first print-
ing. Grisham graduated from Mississippi State University and received a J.D. degree
from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1981. He practiced criminal law
for about a decade and served in the Mississippi House of Representatives from
January 1984 to September 1990.
h. The story begins when Blair, Luther and Nora's daughter, has gone to eastern Peru
with the Peace Corps. They spent $6,100 on Christmas last year. It was terrible,
$6,100 on nothing but stuff you threw away three weeks after Christmas. The next
morning, Luther went to the travel agent with the great idea of booking a cruise,
just to skip Christmas. Nora is very sad that Luther will skip Christmas, but Luther
convinces Nora to go on a cruise with him. So that year, Luther and Nora skip
Christmas and take a cruise through the Caribbean. Nora has a hard time not buy-
ing something. And every day there is someone who wants to sell her something; a
Christmas tree, a Christmas calendar and much more. She tells Luther it wasn't a
good idea to skip Christmas, but Luther is very confident and tells Nora to calm
down and think about the palm trees and beaches in the Caribbean.But on Christ-
mas Eve, their daughter Blair calls from Miami International Airport to say she is
engaged to a man from Peru and will come home for Christmas. It's a big shock to
Luther and Nora, but they didn't want to tell Blair that they're skipping Christmas
this year.The neighbours give one of their Christmas trees to the Kranks, give some
Christmas food and organise a surprise party for Blair. When Blair is home with her
fiancé and every neighbour is at their party, Luther misses two people, Mr and Mrs
Scheel. Luther goes to their house, rings the doorbell and wishes the Scheel family
a happy Christmas. He gives the cruise to the sick Mrs. Scheel, because this cruise
might be her last holiday.
i. Themes: Christmas and family.
The book is mostly about family, you can not replace the value of family with
material things. Holidays are meant to be spent with family. You should not let
material things spoil Christmas, love is more important than all of the presents.
Blair Krank
Blair, is the daughter of Luther and Nora. She is leaving for the east of Peru to join
a peace corps. Because she wouldn't be there at Christmas it wasn't a problem to
skip it, but now she can still be at home at Christmas and is one of the reasons that
it will happen again.
Nora Krank
a. Bente Philippens
b. GA51
c. Skipping Christmas
d. 227 pages
e. John Grisham
f. Doubleday - November 2001
g. John Ray Grisham Jr. born February 8, 1955) is an American novelist, attorney,
politician, and activist, best known for his popular legal thrillers. His books have
been translated into 42 languages and published worldwide. His first novel, A Time
to Kill, was published in June 1989, four years after he began writing it. According
to Academy of Achievement his books have sold 300 million copies and he has
written 28 consecutive number one bestsellers. A Galaxy British Book Awards win-
ner, Grisham is one of only three authors to sell two million copies on a first print-
ing. Grisham graduated from Mississippi State University and received a J.D. degree
from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1981. He practiced criminal law
for about a decade and served in the Mississippi House of Representatives from
January 1984 to September 1990.
h. The story begins when Blair, Luther and Nora's daughter, has gone to eastern Peru
with the Peace Corps. They spent $6,100 on Christmas last year. It was terrible,
$6,100 on nothing but stuff you threw away three weeks after Christmas. The next
morning, Luther went to the travel agent with the great idea of booking a cruise,
just to skip Christmas. Nora is very sad that Luther will skip Christmas, but Luther
convinces Nora to go on a cruise with him. So that year, Luther and Nora skip
Christmas and take a cruise through the Caribbean. Nora has a hard time not buy-
ing something. And every day there is someone who wants to sell her something; a
Christmas tree, a Christmas calendar and much more. She tells Luther it wasn't a
good idea to skip Christmas, but Luther is very confident and tells Nora to calm
down and think about the palm trees and beaches in the Caribbean.But on Christ-
mas Eve, their daughter Blair calls from Miami International Airport to say she is
engaged to a man from Peru and will come home for Christmas. It's a big shock to
Luther and Nora, but they didn't want to tell Blair that they're skipping Christmas
this year.The neighbours give one of their Christmas trees to the Kranks, give some
Christmas food and organise a surprise party for Blair. When Blair is home with her
fiancé and every neighbour is at their party, Luther misses two people, Mr and Mrs
Scheel. Luther goes to their house, rings the doorbell and wishes the Scheel family
a happy Christmas. He gives the cruise to the sick Mrs. Scheel, because this cruise
might be her last holiday.
i. Themes: Christmas and family.
The book is mostly about family, you can not replace the value of family with
material things. Holidays are meant to be spent with family. You should not let
material things spoil Christmas, love is more important than all of the presents.
Blair Krank
Blair, is the daughter of Luther and Nora. She is leaving for the east of Peru to join
a peace corps. Because she wouldn't be there at Christmas it wasn't a problem to
skip it, but now she can still be at home at Christmas and is one of the reasons that
it will happen again.
Nora Krank
