The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus

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Sarcastic, witty and funny bordering on the wicked, The Nanny Diaries displays the brittle and subtle relationships between the employer, the child and the nanny with a dash of romance thrown in for good measure as well as a peek of the idiosyncrasies of the lifestyle of the rich in New York.

If it weren't for the snark banters with herself and all the ironic hilarity of her demeanor, you would have ditched reading the book right then and there purely out of the ridiculousness of her mad hours working for the Park Avenue bitch, I mean, wife. Nanny's grandma comes out as the most admirable character. She's quite cool and hip. Actually Nanny's family is adorable though I can't say the same for her room mate.

Styled as in a memoir, it gives us a first hand insight of her impressions and despite the lack of plot, its jaunty narratives might just be the saving grace of this book. A second book, Nanny Returns, came out in 2009 as a sequel to this best-seller. I haven't read it yet so I will reserve my say till then.


Book Summary:
WANTED. One young woman to take care of four-year-old boy. Must be cheerful, enthusiastic, and selfless bordering on masochistic. Must relish sixteen-hour shifts with a deliberately nap-deprived preschooler. Must love getting thrown up on, literally and figuratively, by everyone in the family. Must enjoy the delicious anticipation of ridiculously erratic pay. Mostly, must love being treated like fungus found growing out of employer's Hermes bag. Those who take it personally need not apply.

Struggling to graduate from NYU and afford her microscopic studio apartment, Nanny takes a position caring for the only son of the wealthy X family. She rapidly learns the insane amount of juggling involved to ensure that a Park Avenue wife who doesn't work, cook, clean or raise her own child has a smooth day. When the Xs' marriage begins to disintegrate, Nanny ends up involved way beyond the bounds of human decency or good taste. Her tenure with the X family becomes a nearly impossible mission to maintain the mental health of their four-year-old, her own integrity and, most importantly, her sense of humor. Over nine tense months, Mrs. X and Nanny perform the age-old dance of decorum and power as they test the limits of modern day servitude. (*)

Book Title: The Nanny Diaries
Author: Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus
Genre: Women's Fiction, Romance, Contemporary
Published: 2003 Paperback 
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Rating: ♨♨ (2 cups - A nice little light read. There's wit and humor and some pure ridiculousness. The story was a bit loosely tied which makes you wonder sometimes and I'm not exactly sure why I can't get excited over Harvard Hottie.)


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