Rating: 
Summary: great read
Review: I couldn't put this book down. It's witty and sharp and sad, only because you know there really are people like the Xes out there procreating. I was surprised by some of the criticisms I read here. Those who say that all the parents in the book are evil, while all the nannies are saintly obviously didn't read it that closely. There ARE good parents in the book (the little Asian girl's "two daddies," the family on Nantucket, Nan's own parents), but unfortunately, on the Upper East Side, parents like the Xes are the norm. And for those who say the writing is bad I have only this to say: are you deranged? You're right, this is not War and Peace and no, this is not the sort of book you're going to find in English lit classes 50 years from now. But for the sort of book it is (dishy and wicked), the writing is perfect. Light and enjoyable and endlessly clever. It reminded me of Tales of the City: both are books you can breeze through in a day or so, but they have themes and ideas that will stay with you long after you've finished with them.
Rating: 
Summary: One of the worst books I've ever read!
Review: If someone had lent this book to me, I would have gladly given it back. Unfortunately I paid hardcover price and felt forced to trudge through it, hoping it would redeem itself. It was predictable and extremely boring. Most people in Nanny's position would have quit and moved on. It's hard to feel sorry for a character that does nothing to better herself. I would NEVER suggest this to anyone or even offer to lend my copy.
Rating: 
Summary: Like a Car Wreck
Review: You know how everyone stares at car wrecks on the side of the road?..... That is how I was about this book. I had to get it and then could not put it down because I kept thinking that it had to get better. It did not....it was just a series of awkwardly written "I can top that" vignettes. And the end came so abruptly...it was as though the writers had fulfilled their contractual obligation for a certain number of pages and just stopped writing!Yes, all the horrific tales about how the monied lived were pretty fascinating...but this just went on and on and on, ad nauseum. Everyone but the nanny was a caricature, a laughably evil person written with no dimension whatsoever. There was not one person of any substance in this book. Every character and situation was, at best, superficial. This book would have been better as a short story, or maybe as a longer piece in a magazine - if someone edited it. I thought the writing was pretty bad. If "Nanny" was so employable, why would she stay in such an abusive situation? And not only was she abused, so was poor "Grayer". Unfortunately, there is no agency to report a family such as this one.
Rating: 
Summary: Better than expectations
Review: I got this novel as a "joke" birthday gift. But the read was
very entertaining about rogue-hearted high society kids governed by a resourceful and spirited nanny. Recommend to anyone looking for an enjoyable novel
Rating:
Summary: I was "Nan"
Review: I was a nanny on the East Coast too-this book could have been written by me! (Except the philandering was done by poor Mrs. X who had everything a person could want) I laughed out loud several times while reading . I hope anyone who has a nanny reads this-maybe you'll realize something about yourself-doubt it though! :)
Rating:
Summary: this was my life!
Review: Emma and Nicola are my heros for writing this book! As a former nanny for my own Mrs. X in Washington, DC, this book could pass as my autobiography. I am making all my friends read this book so that they will understand why I was slightly neurotic for a year while I was a nanny. These stories are all true! I've either experienced them or seen them with my own two eyes! A college-educated, english-speaking nanny is a novelty accessory, to show off to your Gucci-clad friends at the country club. And it tears your heart out to be inbetween the parents and their children, who only want love. People who think this book is shallow, I urge you to go out there, get yourself a job taking care of the children of the social elite, and see for yourself. Three cheers for the authors, who describe these child-parent-nanny relationships with wit and humor. Emma/Nicola, if you need more stories for a sequel, I've got some doozies!
Rating:
Summary: Best book ever!
Review: I couldn't put it down. It was witty, hysterical....there were times I was reading lines out lound to everyone around me. I wanted everyone to hear how clever these women are. And, living in NYC, I can attest to the fact that so much is true!
Rating:
Summary: overrated hype by PR department
Review: The so-called wonderful reviews were written by same PR firm, i.e. I laughed, I cried, heartfelt, etc.(give me a break!) A lot of unnecessary hype for a mediocre book.
Rating:
Summary: It is what it is, and it's funny
Review: For anyone who has ever dealt with New York "society" -- as they call themselves -- this will ring riotously true. Their kids are spoiled and neglected, and the adults tend to be obnoxious, overbearing, and horrifically snotty. It's an archetype, admittedly, but it will strike a nerve, nonetheless. Totally worth buying and you can rip through it in 2 or 3 days.
Rating:
Summary: Couldn't Put It Down!
Review: I am very impressed with the two young authors of The Nanny Diaries. I thoroughly enjoyed their writing style, which kept me very engaged and often amused. I worked as a personal assistant with the male version of Mrs. X right out of college, and completely relate to how Nanny was treated. The authors have every nuance of how that sad and pathetic world lives, and they portray the emptiness of their lives to a 'T'. It was interesting to see Nanny's reality juxtaposed against that of the Xes, and how her feet were kept firmly planted on the ground while she struggled through the everyday hell of Mrs. X. Of course, the tragic element is that of Grayer, whose name I found quite interesting since his mood becomes just that: Grayer and grayer as the book continues. ... But part of the point of this book is that these people will never be at peace with themselves. Thanks for a poignant and entertaining read! From the first page, I thought this would make an EXCELLENT movie with a college-aged Renee Zellweger type, and am very glad to hear one is in the works.
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