Rating: 
Summary: How the other .0008% lives
Review: The Nanny Diaries is a laugh-out-loud fictional expose on the lives of Nannies and the overprivileged, underloved charges for which they care.Cleverly written, the book follows "Nanny" an everywoman of Nannies into the lives of Mr. and Mrs. X and their son Grayer, the every-folks of life's upper west side. Mr. X is a high powered business man on wife number two whom he acquired through an affair he had with the first Missus. Mrs. X a la deux is an impeccably outfitted Prada machine who is as much of a decoration in her museum-styled penthouse as are her pieces of fine art. Finally, there is Grayer, the precocious little boy who is placed on a designer diet to match his designer duds. It is clear that the authors have the knowledge to write such a romp and clearer that the X's are not a freak of fiction. As much as I laughed, I felt a twinge of bittersweetness. Fake as it may be, there are indeed many of these trust fund babes who grow up clamoring for the love and affection from their parents only to be shoved off onto a make-shift mommy making $9.00 an hour while their parental units worry about buying low, selling high, parties in the Hamptoms and whether or not the other is having an affair. But enough of reality - this is a delicious slice of fiction cake is just perfect for the dog days of summer!
Rating:
Summary: Easy, pleasant read -- perfect for summer
Review: This is definitely a great summer read. It has been on the bestseller list for weeks and weeks for a reason. The reading is light and easy, but there is also the underlying, disturbing truth to it, that the upperclass may treat children more like another commodity than as precious human beings. In this story, Nanny works within the system for the X family, yet focuses on the child, his needs, and his well being. This relationship works, as it should, because she has a real desire to help Grayer, the child. She doesn't try or fight falling in love with this child, it just happens. This is the way most of us think it should happen. Even though this part of the book is very predictable, it is written in such a great tone, that it feels good without being insulting to the reader. Throughout the book, every time Nanny tries to humanize the parents in the book, it backfires and she is taken advantage of and gets her feelings hurt. The author gives Nanny that great quality of being able to separate this treatment with her devotion and love for the child. The book shows her doing the right thing professionally and as a human being, without losing her own dignity with the parents. I realize my review makes this book sound a little cheesy. But the humor woven throughout, along with the tone of the book, puts it several steps ahead of an episode of "Seventh Heaven" where morality prevails.
Rating:
Summary: Nanny Diaries
Review: The Nanny Diaries
In my opinion the Nanny Diaries was a well written book, however the use of foul language has some what persuaded me to downgrade the book. Also the end of the book started to get boring as it seemed that most of the things happening were repeated from earlier in the book. The enthusiasm also started to decline. For example, Miss X is still a snob, and by this time your almost sick of the way the nannie either complains about Miss X to her family or the way Miss X is ruling over everyone.(She told Nannie not to socialize as much at the dinner party!) However the beginning was thrilling, well written novel. If you do not live in New york then this is the perfect book to catch a view of how the rich live in the Big Apple. Who would ever guess that apartments could me spacious! This novel gives you a close up view of the college life in New York. For example, the novel shows you that life is very busy. Nanny was mainly always rushing to something...work, school, restraunt, to pick up Grayer, interviews, and to meet H.H. Overall it was a pretty well written book!*Especially since this was the authors first novel!
Rating: 
Summary: Nanny is sensational
Review: This was a fantastic novel, I couldn't wait to see what would happen to Nanny next!! It is definitely worth taking the time to read! The lady Nanny works for is unpredictable, and you hate her more and more as the book progresses.
Rating: 
Summary: Enough With the Pathos!!!
Review: I admit, I was suckered into buying this book by all of the hype around getting an insider's peek at what's really going on in those fabulous Manhattan town homes. I was sorely disappointed. The book is thin in every way, reading like an outline of vignettes the writers came up with over lattes. I was particularly annoyed by the protagonist's name: Nanny. The choice seems more a dearth of imagination than cleverness (let's hope the team who stitched this mess together doesn't attempt to blow the lid off of the plumbing trade as seen through the eyes of the sensitive, stoic handyman, Plumber). Nanny's passivity in the face of her degradation at the hands of the couple for whom she works is also maddening. The parents of little Grayer (the poor, put upon child for whom Nanny cares) were painted so broadly as indifferent and evil (especially the father) that I half expected Nanny to be tied to train tracks by the villainous couple (cue histrionic organ music). The novel has no value whatsoever as satire because it doesn't take the subject seriously enough to really have at it (reread Tom Wolfe's "Bonfire of the Vanities"). What might have been strong social commentary melts into sentimental slop. This book might have been a little more fun if, say, the kid had been as horrible as the parents (what's that little bit of folk wisdom about apples not falling far from the tree?), but all of the children (and their caretakers) are painted as victims of the super-powerful, super-wealthy, super skinny Manhattan elite. The book does finally point out the Catch-22 in which household employees often find themselves. They are, at the end of the day, employees and as such have little standing in most families (of course, exceptions abound). The women who wrote this book have cashed in on America's prurient interest in wealth, power, and celebrity. I'm ashamed to say, I succumbed, but at least I'm trying to warn others not to make the same mistake. :-)
Rating:
Summary: Hilarious.... yet all too true at times....
Review: This book is being passed around the preschool/daycare I work at, and I finally had a chance to read it over the weekend. Anyone who has worked in the childcare industry, be it as a nanny or as a daycare worker, can appreciate Nanny's off-the-wall experiences dealing not only with her four-year-old charge Grayer, but also Mr. and Mrs. X. I was hooked on the book after getting about 7 pages into the story and reading the extensive list of do's and don'ts regarding Grayer's diet (teachers and nannies, we've all seen these lists--"does not eat dairy, does not eat peanuts, no raw food, no cooked food, does not eat blueberries"--and then, one line later--"does eat blueberries, but only if sliced in half"). The moral of the book is all too true, though--so many parents have no idea how much work nannies and daycare workers put forth to take care of their child. Nanny's rant at the end of the book certainly mirrors what we've all wanted to say to those parents who just don't get it at one time or another. A highly recommended read!
Rating:
Summary: Why am I laughing?
Review: I picked this book up expecting another chick-book - humourous, satirical, ... and it delivered. But half-way through the novel you're still laughing, because its still funny, but I keep thinking - this is sad, really. And the tragedy of little Grover's life just creeps up on you. That sad little boy! If I had to compare this book to any other it would be to Helen Fielding's "Cause Celeb" - because of its style and the way it uses humour to shock and the way it makes you uncomfortable with AND thankful for your life. And the way it inspires you to do something, anything to change the world for people like Grover.
Rating:
Summary: A "must read" for those who deal with difficult people
Review: Although the X characters may appear unbelievable at times, take it from one who knows, these people do in fact exist and Nanny gives a quite factual (if not fictional account) of what it's like to be in their employ. This book should be a reference manual for any individual who is thinking of working for an upper crust family. It's also a wonderful reminder to those of us who have survived the zany world of ego-fed eccentric-ism. Highly entertaining and an easy read...loan it to everyone you know.
Rating: 
Summary: easy read, wrinkled prose
Review: It's a quick read with some story line there. But Nanny seems to engage herself to the job on an unnecessary scope while readers kind of hope there would be more drama or story there, but disappointed. All in all, the prose is so puckery, so wrinkled, as if eating while hiccupping, language way too much vacuumed...
Rating:
Summary: An Unpleasant Surprise
Review: I realize that most of you will think I missed the point of this book, but I have to say, I thought it was one of the most depressing, sadest books I've read in a long time. I could see the humor - don't get me wrong - but it I didn't find it funny. I just felt so sad for all of the characters and their pathetic lives. Completely ignoring one's child and paying someone else to raise it and then firing that person as if the child has no emotions or attachments to the person? Not funny. Just sad. Living a life so focused on what the outside world thinks about you instead of focusing on having a healthy inner life? Not funny to me. If you find this stuff funny, more power to you, but I just had a bad taste in my mouth when I finished this book. I was in disbelief at the quotes on the back cover declaring how uproariously funny this book is. They must not have read it. I'm not saying it isn't worth reading - I'm just saying it is a painful glimpse at a lifestyle that makes be happy to be middle class and not filthy Park Avenue rich.
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