Book Review
Skipping Christmas By JOHN GRISHAM
Reviewed by PEGGY BARNETT
John Grisham found fame and fortune with his legal thrillers. He also writes other kinds of books, non-fiction, and quieter stories, like this Skipping Christmas.

Luther Krank adds up one restless night the amount of money his family spent on Christmas the previous year. (Luther is a tax accountant and has precise records.) He is already a bit grouchy, having seen his daughter off to Peru to serve in the Peace Corps. Further, his wife has irritated him earlier by having to have certain groceries, even in the rain with no parking nearby.

Brooding over the figures, he decides that this would be a good year to ignore Christmas, since their daughter Blair will not be at home. He knows that it will be a hard idea to sell to his wife Nora, so he plans a cruise to the Caribbean during Christmas week.

After he concedes that they will still give charitable gifts, Nora goes along with the idea. The battle is not over, however. Luther has planned carefully, but there are a surprising number of times when "not doing Christmas" becomes difficult.Nora has to tell the stationery store owner that they will not be ordering Christmas cards this year.

"But how could anyone get through the holidays without a tree? Skip the tree, and Luther knew they just might pull it off." The boy scouts at the door count on Luther and Nora to buy a tree from them. Nora is weakening. Luther offers to make a generous contribution to the scout summer camporee since they are passing on the tree.

Predictably, many more challenges await. The neighborhood has the slightly strange custom of mounting "Frostys" on every roof, lit for the holidays. They have impressed even the local television channels. How will the neighbors react when they learn that Luther's pronouncement includes even their Frosty?

Then there is the traditional Christmas Eve party hosted by Luther and Nora every year. It, too, will have to be canceled. Meanwhile, at least half of Nora's friends are horrified. More than half of Luther's are impressed and would like to imitate his scheme, but no one is quite so intense. No carolers, no decorations, no gifts, no fruitcakes.

Of course we know that something is going to go wrong, and something does. Skipping Christmas is not easy, and aren't we glad?

Skipping Christmas is available at the Mary Willis Library.

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