Rating: 
Summary: Wasn't quite up to the hype it was given
Review: I couldn't wait to read this book because of all the reviews and hype it got. I read the book and don't get me wrong, it is a good book. But after everything I had heard, I expected more. I am sure that anyone that has been a nanny (especially in Manhattan) probably loved the book. But those of us that have never worked in this profession may find the stories a little far fetched. Maybe there really are families like the X family, but I couldn't quite relate.
Rating: 
Summary: A Devastating Book
Review: Wow! This was truly an amazing book. I couldn't finish it fast enough. As a Mom of two little boys who does NOT have a nanny, I have many, many days that I feel like a "bad mom". Well, this book makes me feel like mother of the year! The authors deal with very difficult subject matter in a very sensitive and humorous fashion. The Nanny Diaries is a deeply entertaining book with such a range of emotion!
Rating: 
Summary: More depressing than funny
Review: I bought this book thinking it would be an easy, funny escape from the daily war briefings. I actually told my boyfriend it was "mind candy". And while not exactly "Ulysses", it was not the light-hearted escape I was looking for. I thought Nanny, Mr. & Mrs X and Grayer were all realistic enough to be extremely depressing. For those of you who thought Nanny was stupid and unrealistic, well, I've been there. You love the kid so much and worry about him/her that you put up with the outrageous behavior of juvenile, self-centered adults. You hope to be a role model of something else in the hopes that he/she won't follow down the same pathways. Ick. The love interest and Nanny's family I found to be unrealistic and kind of trite, but they were incidental anyway. I was uncomfortable and exhausted by the end but that's because it hit too many nerves and brought up way too many reminders (I was never a Nanny just a very active babysitter in Manhattan in the early 90s.) Again, ick. It exists.
Rating:
Summary: Great Read!
Review: I absolutely loved this book. I don't have any kids of my own so I totally apprecited what this nanny went through, not having kids of her own. I have looked after plenty of children who have come with their own directions. The book was both hilarious and sympathetic. I would definitely read it again.
Rating:
Summary: Funny
Review: This is a good, fun, easy read. Anytime you get a chance to take a look into a world you're unfamiliar with, you're bound to be shocked at what an 'expert' (someone in the trenches) has to say. Such is the case here. Obviously embellished, but we get the point.
Other funny books from 'experts' in the trenches: "No One's Even Bleeding" and "Delano".
Rating: 
Summary: If I could, I'd give it a zero
Review: Wow. What a dissapointment. There's no real character development, shoddy writing and the main characters are hard to relate to. I've been in Nanny's shoes and it amazes me that she'd be so spineless. Why is she even getting a degree at all? It will serve her no good, for she hasn't the sense to even begin to know how to use it or interact with others in a meaningful way. Terribly sad, because I wanted to enjoy this read. Wish I had gotten it from the library instead of buying it.
Rating:
Summary: Audio CD read by Julia Roberts is a delightful treat!
Review: If I had simply read this book, I'm not entirely sure I would have liked it. I was expecting a laugh riot, something along the lines of "Bridget Jones;" however, poignant and perhaps even sad are much more accurate descriptions of this interesting nanny journey. Sad does not equal bad here -- the writing is actually quite good. The dialogue in particular is sharp and witty. The sadness comes from the realization this book leaves in the way the child is regarded (and disregarded) by his parents as little more than a commodity. What most impressed me (and consequently made me like this book so much) was Julia's audio performance. She's simply terrific. I suppose it's because there's such a warm familiarity associated with her voice, but I found listening to her so comforting (even in heavy LA traffic). It was almost more fun listening to her interpretation (and impersonation) of the characters than it was actually taking in the story. It all culminates to quite a powerhouse monologue from the main character near the end, and I think that may have been the very thing that convinced Julia to read for the audio version. I sure hope she'll do more in the future!
Rating:
Summary: I missed work to finish this book
Review: One of the funniest books I've ever read. The costume party alone was worth the price. The books changes gears subtly and before I knew it I was tearing up for Nanny and her charge.
Rating:
Summary: Give it a Break!
Review: I'm bafffled by some of these reviews. I don't agree that the authors are taking the subject matter lightly at all. Through their detail and the episodes throughout the book, I felt the disgust of the authors for the Xs and I tip my hat to them for calling attention to a type of parenting that does exist (just spend some time in the Upper East or West Sides of Manhattan). Just because you can't relate to it doesn't mean the problem doesn't exist. These girls know first hand. They've been in the trenches. And, it seemed to me, hoped that their readers would come out of this just as broken hearted for little Grayer. Since when is a book that evokes such emotion a bad thing??
Rating:
Summary: Good book, rushed ending
Review: From the hillarious beginning, where Nan (our fictional nanny and guide to the world of childcare of the rich and privileged) describes a routine job interview, and throughout most of the book (in which she describes her growing involvment with the X's lives) the book is captivating and well written. It manages to portray Nan's feelings while still be funny at the right times. My only problem with the book is its ending. The whole Nantucket vacation / firing / nannycam issue seemed as unoriginal and predictable as much as the rest of the book was original and fresh.
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