Rating: 
Summary: A guilty pleasure...
Review: When you drive by an accident on the freeway, can you help turning your head to look for bodies? Reading this book gave me the same sort of queasy, guilty pleasure. It's not a piece of great literature, but somehow you just can't turn your head away. I read this book on a rainy afternoon, reclining on the couch and munching cookies and drinking tea. Fun, fun, fun, like a good gossip with a girlfriend, but by no means uplifting or spiritually illuminating. But, hey, sometimes girls just want to have fun! I can't judge if this is an accurate look at the New York rich scene, but it FELT real, and it was a fun read.
Rating: 
Summary: All the adults were horrible
Review: I read this book to the end hoping to find one adult worth knowing something about. There are none. Nan gets what she deserves because of her inability to set boundaries. The X's never show a moment of humanity. Four-year old Grayer is less a human child than an artful construct against which the inhumanity of the adults is portrayed. I was embarrassed earlier this year because I read a sort-of bodice ripper called "Fancy Pants" and enjoyed it. I am much more embarrassed to have read this bit of junk.
Rating: 
Summary: Why she stays...
Review: I just finished this book and loved it. I would recommend it to anyone. Previous reviewers who have said it is unrealistic that Nan would put up with this treatment are missing the whole point - Nan becomes attached to Grayer. That is why she stays and keeps her mouth shut. She knows that if she were to leave, or be fired for speaking up, she'd be cut off from future contact from Grayer. Not only would this be painful for Nan, it would be traumatic for Grayer, who has no other source of affection in his life. This is probably one of the hardest parts of a nanny's job. I've known several nannies who put up with similar treatment because of their love and concern for the children, and others who have had their hearts broken by being cut off permanently from children they once cared for. It's true, at times the books is more sad than funny. If you're looking for a knee-slapper, this isn't it. But it is touching, witty, and well-written. I'm looking forward to the sequel.
Rating: 
Summary: Me and my nanny friend loved it!
Review: Me and my nanny friend loved it! She and I both could not put ut down....what is sad is those reviewers who think the "characters" are exaggerated, or, "not real" ! TRUST ME! They ARE! I have heard my share of mommy horror stories from my friend, some of which she could write a sequel with! This "story" IS true to life, and so sad for a lot of nannied children out there. My hope is that some real life Mr/Mrs X's see themselves and knock it off, their children are suffering...
Rating:
Summary: satiric commentary on wealthy New Yorkers
Review: "Mrs.X", isolated in her selfish, unhappy world, views "Nan" as a non-person, someone she employs (for very little money) who is a general dogbody for running errands and smoothing Mrs. X's life, as well as taking care of her offspring, 4 year old "Grayer." "Mr.X" is a rounder who feels entitled to pursue whatever female flesh strays into his business or social circle. "Nan", an NYU senior, is charmed by little Grayer and soon feels she is the one person who loves him. Her concern for the boy keeps her on the demeaning job for her ungrateful employers.
"There is nothing good here," she tells Mr. X's current mistress who is determinedly pursuing him by phone when he vacations in Nantucket with his wife and son. "Nan" sees the worst of these characters, sees them stripped of the veneer of wealth and privilege to the real, unhappy people underneath, who cluelessly make poor, selfish choices.Xes. The authors are young, stern. and inordinately judgemental; the book , although an entertaining read, seems immoderately skewed toward the worst-case scenario.
Rating:
Summary: No wonder American women are hated!
Review: I enjoyed this light, easy read while curled up on the couch during a late summer thunderstorm. I am no longer suprised by the hatred displayed toward rich American women by those in the child care industry--nannies, day care facilities, and teachers. I naively thought that nannies were hired to care for the young ones while the rich mother attended yoga in the mornings. It appears to be so much more than that. The authors, former nannies, explain that these city women with their "new money" find their children a mere nuisance and objects to use to gain attention in a bizarre social circle that only opens when the woman is willing to chuck her motherly duties onto a struggling college student or new Amrican citizen. It is beyond me how McLaughlin and Kraus were able to tolerate such discrimination, humiliation, and violations of the wage and hour law. I have my suspicions about exactly how much of this book is fiction. The authors truly lived out the experience, offering a tell-all into the seedy industry of hiring another person to raise your child(ren). Perhaps the names have been changed, but the stories are too realistic to be completely fiction. I believe Mr. and Mrs. X exists, not only in Manhattan but in 'burbs all across our nation. And here I've been all along wishing for some of that new money to fall into my lap so I could quit work & spend more time with my daughter, not use it to hire someone else to raise her. I don't feel sorry for the nannies, although the mistreatment they suffer is nauseating. However, iIt's their choice to go into that line of work. My sympathy lies in the children and the permanent damage inflicted after being yanked away from mother, then nanny after nanny after nanny. Forget father--he's banging the secretary doggie style on a walnut desk. If you want a good insight into how the leader of your non-profit organization in your city is able to pull off all that "hard work" and raise her kids, then read this book an find out that she doesn't pull it off. She hires someone to take over the kids, then pays them with contempt. A must read for a lonely afternoon.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful, but sad book
Review: Like the others have sad, I thought this book was going to be humorous and funny. Instead, it was profound, deep, and made me feel completely depress and lonely. I loved the book anyway. A great book, I recommend it, but just don't go reading the book thinking's its a humorous book.
Rating:
Summary: A fresh idea with a guilty feel.....
Review: What a great idea I think the authors had! Rip the cover off the high class, fast paced, butt smoozing world of the rich. I had to hold out reading this due to studies, but finally I had to get it! I really ripped into this one quickly, loving the secrets "Nanny" (our girl's name) dishes on her former and previous employers. (Forner's names are Mr. and Mrs. X, so it really feels top secret!) But my pace did slow down as the repitition of craziness set in. I will need to be copmpletely honest here, though, and maybe my perspective as a mother (stay at home mom, aside from part time school) has tainted this novel for me, but what unfolded was utterly depressing ! Yes yes yes, I will not deny, there are hilarious moments and funny lines, but this really shocked me! The way these people treat there nannies and the things they expect of them just absolutely blew me away! So yes, while I was a bit disgusted (I will never look at those skinny, well polished, super rich moms the same) the book still felt like a guilty pleasure. A sneak peek in the lives of those who do not live like I do, a voyuer-istic feel of hmmmmm.....now I know! Be prepared to read nothing but nannying in this book. While the authors do give Nanny a life (a weak attempt at romance and school life, I thought) they do not expound as much as I would have liked on the areas other then nanny duties. That much being said you are prepared to read what this book has in store for you. A romp of a ride on cruelty to nannies which is saddening, but never the less, surprisingly fun. I think this book will be refreshing due to the fact that it is indeed different then anything you have read by the way of "babysitting" !
Rating:
Summary: Reviewers
Review: I thought the book was great. However, I would like to know what some people feel they need to tell you every detail in the book (such as the previous reviewer). For those who have not read the book and ONLY wish to read comments, it takes away their need to read it! They'll know ahead of time everything that is going to happen. This seems to happen a lot.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding
Review: This book offers far more than just a glimpse behind the walls of castles. A hidden truth is explored, a naked truth is told. Both funny and sad, The Nannie Diaries is a compelling read.
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