Rating: 
Summary: Waste of Time
Review: This book sounded so intriguing and I could't wait to read it.
Then, I couldn't wait for it to end. I am the type who has to read a book thru. It did get better in one of the last chapters, but all I can say is SAVE YOUR MONEY. WHAT A WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY!
Rating: 
Summary: Addicting Book, but ultimately a let-down, and not much plot
Review: While I read this book quickly and enjoyed it, I could not understand why a woman from a supportive, comfortable family would put up with this abuse. I was getting more angry at Nanny than Mrs. X. However, I'm sure that most of this rings true because I actually do know someone who was raised like this (and fortunately now is raising her own child totally differently, and doing a very good job!) but her own mother won't ever babysit or change a diaper for the grandchild. I guess all you can say is that all that glitters is not gold. Thank goodness for your average parents - maybe they're a little dysfunctional, but at least they care!
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting...
Review: While I have to say that I found this book to be completely unsympathetic to the employers of nannies in NYC, I still think that it was certainly worth reading. I agree with everyone's positive remarks they've said about the book, but I only have one problem... nannies complaining because they have to spend two paid weeks in France? Please.
Rating:
Summary: Unrealized potential
Review: There are really two parts to "The Nanny Diaries": the prologue and the novel itself. The prologue is a sublime parody of a typical interview for a position as a Manhattan nanny. Scathingly witty and insightful, it is by far the best part of the book. The novel, unfortunately, lacks the subtlety of the prologue. Here, everything is taken too the extreme - the mother is truly a psychotic egomaniac, the child is the ultimate combination of brattiness and...neglect, the father is a malevolent ghost in his own home, and the nanny is a complete doormat. The humor is dragged down by such extreme characrterizations. This was particularly disappointing since the story has such great possibilities and the prologue proves that the authors are capable of a more honest comedic touch. The book was a quick and entertaining read, but it could easily have been so much better.
Rating: 
Summary: MAKE THIS A MUST READ FOR ALL INVESTMENT BANKERS...
Review: This tome and excellent reflection of the world of the monied and socially challenged. Forget about the Nanny world, Justine is Mr. X's assistant. Mr. X is the personification of the typical holier than though rich man with the humanity of run over dog. There are thousands of them out there!! Forget about the infidelity, the typical "who are you? how dare you speak to me" mentality of Mr. X is rampant among investment bankers of world. This economy might pull the crowbar out from between the sets of some tight buttocked wealthy and emotionally bankrupt people, but not many. I am leaving this book anonymously on the desks of some "business powerhouse" types in my world. This book will validate the angst of hundreds of secretaries who work for hemerroid ridden business shakers all over the planet. Secretaries and Nannies have similar lines of work. They both take care of whining spoiled brats. However, children often don't know any better. Bankers and the like just never grew up. No one is fooled.
Rating:
Summary: I was surprised how sad it made me feel
Review: I think this book is fabulous. You will laugh a lot when you read it but wow, you will also really cry. I have not cried so much about a book in a long long time. The ending is heart wrenching. It makes me want to just reach out to hug and love my two year old. It is hard to put it down once you start reading it. It's also hard to believe that there are actually people out in the world like the Xs. It breaks your heart over and over again to see how the Xs treat their child. And once in awhile as you're reading it you realize that it's not just a story - that people like the Xs do have children. Definiteley read this book - you won't be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: A Park Ave Parent with Private School Child
Review: As a Park Avenue parent with a young child at Horace Mann I am wealthy enough and ambitious enough to be paying over $800/week for a live-in nanny who only takes care of my daughter and does no housework or errands, I wish I could find someone as dedicated and well-educated as Nanny. This book is being devoured by my neighbors and pooh-poohed by non-New Yorkers who have no idea how rough and tumble the parent-nanny relationships are on Manhattan's wealthy Upper East Side. The truth is that Nannies who are smart and dedicated (yes, "Nanny" in the book was a bit too dedicated--bordering on obsessed) and educated are hard to find. The book captures one type of parent: the one who cares only about appearance (eg. a kid who goes to a school that will impress friends and strangers) Others of us really wanta kid who is actually very smart and well-rounded. And if you are a full-time working couple, some of us will pay whatever is possible to find the nanny who can support those ambitions--you need someone who is stimulating, creative, thoughtful and as smart as a whip.
Yes, be angry at Mr and Mrs X for ignoring and mistreating their child and their Nanny, but too many of you are labeling all rich New York parents as misguided because we rely on nannies to help care for and educate our children.
Much of what this book has to say about rich Manhattan living is right on target for many of my neighbors, but it doesn't capture all of us.
This book is worth reading. And but for the slap-dash non-ending, I think the authors have done an excellent job!
Rating:
Summary: Proof that money can't buy happiness.
Review: Great book. You will not be able to put it down. Extremely heartbreaking. Shame to know that blue bloods "raise" their kids in this manner. Thank goodness for the nannies. Just proves that money cannot buy happiness and love. Oh, and the poor puppy. I felt worse for the puppy than anyone else.
Rating:
Summary: Like the story, but written too much like a magazine article
Review: When I heard about this book, I knew I had to read it, for many of the reasons given by other reviewers- I spent my childhood on the Upper East side of NY and am friends with a guy whose life was spent with nannies rather than with his own parents. I give it only three stars because of the very shallow magazine article writing style of the book, but that doesn't detract from the points the book is trying to make-stage managing your kid's life does not make him or her and success and money does not buy happiness. What ever happened to just letting your kids explore the world on their own and not stage managing it, as it is by the "caring" parents of the little boy in the book? Studies have found that play is one of the most powerful influences on a child's development. The book has Grayer, the boy Nan takes care of, scheduled for every activity under the sun, whether he is interested or not and reading the Wall Street Journal. I read the New York Times from a very young age, but it was because I wanted to, not because I was forced to. The point of childhood is to make a person self reliant enough to live on their own, not to make all the choices for the child and then be shocked when they fail. Money does not buy happiness-most of the people reading this book, including the person writing this review come from modest backgrounds. It didn't affect the way I was brought up. I got an allowance, a small one, but an allowance nevertheless, and had to do chores to earn it. I always got a lot of love from my parents and all their attention. That's all a child needs-love. Its a cliche, but that sustinence people get from home is so much more important than any material good. Getting something new and great to play with is not a lasting thing, but getting story read to you, or just spending an afternoon in the park with your parents as a kid lasts you lifetime. It means that whenever your down, you always know that those people you have at home love you. What I hope for Grayer is that he grows up to be a healthy, well adjusted individual and raises his children completely opposite to the way he parents raised him.
Rating:
Summary: Didn't think I would but I LOVED this book!
Review: When I first heard about this book, I thought it sounded just plain stupid. Who would want to read about NANNIES? But after reading a few reviews about it, I got curious what all the fuss was about --- once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. This book was one of the best books I have read in a long time. I laughed, I cried, I ranted, I raved, I didn't want it to end.
This isn't the type of book I would normally read but it was wonderful --- fun, fun, fun and extremely well written.
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