Rating: 
Summary: Just who is Mrs. X?
Review: The Nanny Diaries was wonderful to listen to while driving from Seattle to Spokane. Normally the drive takes five hours, but listening to this story got me there in just over four hours. Julia Roberts was excellent and truly brought the characters to life. The more I listened to the antics of Mrs. X, the faster I drove. Not only does there need to be a support group for former nannies of the Park Avenue set, but I think I am going to have to go into therapy just from the situations described. I don't have children and I have never worked as a nanny, but I did work as a personal assistant/whipping girl for a demanding, perfectionist, image-driven barracuda who fancied herself a Hollywood type, compare the two and Mrs. X is far worse. If the Park Avenue socialites and matrons are uneasy with the publication of this story, perhaps a few saw their own behavior and mind-set illustrated. From now on when I see a pampered, high-powered, perfectly coiffed trophy wife/mother emerge from her limo for an exhausting day of shopping, I will see past the elegant clothing and meticulous manicure to see who the person inside might be. This book definitely strips some of the glamour and gloss from the lives of the rich and famous. There might be a little bit of X's in all families, so I see this book as a reminder to treat others how you would want to be treated yourself, no matter what your station in life.
Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining, nothing more
Review: I'd give all 5 stars to marketers of the book who have managed to make so much fuss about it that it sells like hot cakes. The book itself deserves 2, a mark high enough for the debutants. What's it all about? The plot centers around a NYU student, who never studies, but still manages to get her degree (what are their demands in NYU, I wonder?) and Mr. and Mrs. X, who have no time and heart for their child. The student supports herself with work as nanny of the Xs' child and watches the life of her employers. If the plot is primitive, then to get a good book you need some vivid characters. Unfortunately, the characters are also trivial. Mrs. X is a classic nouveaux-riche with no upbringing and American college education of very suspicious quality but undoubtedly very expensive. Mr. X is also a typical American father, who defines success in life by the amount of money a person makes. Who's not typical, to my mind, is the main character, Nanny - at least I never met a young American female with such a timid spirit of a slave.
On the whole it's an archetypal world of the 'from rags to riches', which is traditionally thought by the Europeans to be very American, though it's multinational and cosmopolitan. OK as summer reading.
Rating:
Summary: Too good to put down!
Review: This book was simply impossible to put down. If even half of what these girls have written is true to some extent, then I feel sorry for every wealthy kid that grows up without a truly nurturing family. Kids will form memories around the times they spent with their family, not the gifts and the toys they recieved.
This tell all is a great summer read. It will make you laugh out loud. I could not put it down and finished it in the same day I started it. I can smell a movie adaptation, can you?
Rating: 
Summary: Fast read, but...........annoying character after a while!!!
Review: OK, the book started out pretty well, and the middle was even good but towards the middle/end you get really annoyed with the main character for allowing people to walk all over her and harrass her, and you begin to realize that in real life NO ONE could just sit back and take it without so much a word!! It lacked conflict in that sense.
Rating:
Summary: Satisfied in Campbell
Review: Just finished this wonderful book. Extremely funny and enjoyable read. Laughed out loud many times which I rarely do.
Although the front cover says all simularities to their real clients are unintentional, you know that there are a few people out there who clearly saw themselves in this book. WONDERFULLY WRITTEN. Whitty.
Rating: 
Summary: Blue Diary
Review: A little tough getting through the first chapter though keep on going. It's well worth it. The author is very convincing in illustrating how the relationships of a family can change so dramatically and believably under the circumstances given. The characters in this book are believable and well established.
Rating:
Summary: Calling for Mary Poppins...
Review: A NYU student becomes a nanny for a well - to - do family in New York City. She is in for a lot of surprises as she gets a glimpse of life of the super - rich. The people who employ "Nanny" are not what they appear to be. It's interesting the nanny's name is always "Nanny" and her employers are Mr. and Mrs. "X". Perhaps they are not fully dimensional people? I found myself pitying the Xes by the end of the story. Good book for "escapist" reading. Interesting ending.
Rating:
Summary: Lots of fun to read...
Review: I had read a lot about the Nanny Diaries before deciding to buy it, so I pretty much knew all about the plot, main characters and setting before even opening it up. But even though there were not a lot of surprises within the book, I found it to be a very entertaining, enjoyable read, more so than I'd anticipated. The central character, Nanny, is well constructed, and we see the world of mega-rich New Yorkers through her eyes. Her charge comes across as more than just a plot mechanism, exhibiting lots of real little boy behavior that seems pretty appropriate given his circumstances. And there sure are a lot of fascinating details about the family Nanny works for, details that, despite the authors' claims not to have based the book on any of their own experiences as nannies, seem just outrageous enough to be believable in that world. The Nanny Diaries is a very light read, and I zipped right through it. Mrs. X, however hideous, is still interesting, and there is lots of vicarious enjoyment witnessing the trials and tribulations of Nanny. Overall, though, I found myself ever so slightly disappointed when I reached the end. Thiings wrapped up so abruptly - yet neatly - with certain things seeming so out of character and way too melodramatic compared with the rest of the book that it all felt a little too contrived and not very satisfying. Still, I definitely think it is worth the time - and money - simply for the fun of it, and as long as one doesn't look too hard for deeper meaning or expect too much. The Nanny Diaries is the quintessential summer book - a little decadent, a little silly, and a lot of entertainment.
Rating:
Summary: Very funny and entertaining, but a few nits...
Review: I thought this novel was great. It was consistently funny and entertaining and very well written. So it's 5 stars from me. There were however a few annoyances, primarily involving the naming of the characters. Did they really have to call the main character "Nanny"? I thought that was weird and jarring the first time, the last time and every time in between. It was just so awkward! I had the exact same reaction to the authors' decision to call the family the "X" family. I have no doubt that the authors had their reasons for using "Nanny" and "X", but whatever those reasons were, I would have to disagree with them. It would have been 100 times preferable for these people just to have regular names. (Richard Ford also called the narrator's ex-wife "X" in his novel The Sportswriter and it was weird there too.) By contrast, I thought that Grayer was the perfect name for the little boy. Second, I thought it somewhat starined credulity for her to continue working for the X family after Mrs. X's behavior became more and more bizarre and intolerable and after things began to unravel. I understand that the supposed explanation for this is her desire to "stick it out for Grayer", but I still found hard to accept. After all, she wasn't going to be with Grayer his whole life. Finally, I would be very interested to know how the authors wrote the book since there were 2 of them. Did they alternate chapters? Did one come up with the ideas and the other commit them to paper? What was the process? Anyway, I easily recommend the book.
Rating:
Summary: Captivating
Review: What is it like in the inner circle of Manhattan? How happy are 'the ladies who lunch'? The Nanny Diaries is more than just a look into the world of nannying. This insightful book gives perspective into what is really going on in the elite world of Prada, Gucci, and trophy wives. Ever wonder how heartless people are made? The Nanny Diaries may have found the answer. An intriguing read, The Nanny Diaries will have you laughing-out-loud, filled with rage, and crying---sometimes all at once. The relationship that grows between Nanny and her charge, Grayer, is truly commendable. Nanny's patience and strength are admirable. As a young woman, about the same age, I respect Nanny's character and ability. Her mothering skills far outweigh those of Grayer's own mother. The Nanny Diaries is a tale of companionship, love, bonds and courage. You will be shocked at the self-centeredness of some characters, and overwhelmed by the selflessness of others. Enjoy this read, it promises to fill you with many emotions. At first, I had a bit of a problem with the lack of character names, but once you get past that, the book is truly wonderful. You won't even notice after a while, don't let that turn you off from The Nanny Diaries. 6/7/02
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