The Nanny Diaries

Narrated by:
Kathe Mazur

Unabridged Audiobook

Ratings
Book
94
Narrator
1
Release Date
April 2002
Duration
10 hours 7 minutes
Summary
Based on the real-life experiences and the inside story on the real lives of the rich and privileged from the women who know all the secrets—the nannies.

The Nanny Diaries deftly skewers the manner in which America's overprivileged raise les petits—as if grooming them for a best-of-show competition. A poignant satire, it punctures the glamour of Manhattan's upper class to tackle head-on the truer state of backstairs Park Avenue.

Struggling to graduate from NYU and afford her microscopic apartment, Nanny takes a job caring for the only son of the wealthy X family. She rapidly learns the insane amount of juggling involved in ensuring that a Park Avenue wife who doesn't work, cook, clean, or raise her own child has a smooth day.

When the Xes' marriage begins to disintegrate, Nanny's nearly impossible mission becomes maintaining 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.
Reviews
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Jacqueline Smith

The narrator is pretty good and gives the books some life. Otherwise the book is terrible and so obnox

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Anonymous

Julia Roberts does an excellent job! I wish there were an unabridged version; I was not ready for this one to end.

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Anonymous

This book was a riot. Kept you guessing and engaged the entire read. Parts were hysterical. Definitely worth it - a quick one too.

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Anonymous

A good book, but more sad and pathetic than funny to me (although there was some great sarcasm). I know there are parents like this out there and I grieve for those kids.

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Anonymous

Julia Roberts did a wonderful job narrating the story. She has a great voice. The story definitely kept my interest & made the commute go by fast. The ending was a litte anti-climatic, and I wish that Mrs. X had gotten more of what she deserved. But, overall, it was a good story, and Julia Roberts did a great great with the different voices.

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Flakdog

This was enjoyable but sad too; that this could be (probably is) the way of some nanny lives. Narration was great. I just wanted to say to Nanny, "Punch her a good one", at times!

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Kelly Abad

I really enjoyed this book! Julia Roberts was the reader and kept my interest. She used some voices that I wouldn't have placed with the character (if I had read the book myself) but it was overall a great book. I listen to audiobooks during my commute to work and I brought this one to my office to keep listening.

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Christin Wasiloski

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and intend on purchasing the unabridged version to add to my library. The ending’s a little rough for me, since it doesn’t tie up all the loose ends, though it’s totally realistic. It’s got the same feel as the Devil Wears Prada, but we learn little about the Nanny’s personal life. It was quite enjoyable.

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Arlene

This was a very bittersweet book. Julia Roberts did a wonderful job of reading it. Highly recommended.

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Mackenzie Thomas

I loved this book! I found myself laughing out loud many times during this book. Very well read by Julia Roberts. I ended up having many "driveway moments" where I just sat in the driveway once home just to listen to the next event!

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dlct

Fast-paced and fun, the tales of Nanny (annoying name) make one incredulous at the stupidity, short-sightedness, and selfishness of the wealthy. Several times I expected this girl to grow a spine and quit. The fact that she put up with so much was irritating and perhaps a bit beyond belief. No one needs tuition THAT badly! The tale is well-written, populated with good, solid, believable characters and the relationship between Nanny and her little charge is sweet and touching. There's a lot of unbelieveable situations and shopping, but then I don't live in New York City and no one I know is quite so label-conscious and snooty. The narrator's reading adds to this story. Altogether not too bad.

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KD

I had always heard that this book was brilliant and funny. I didn't find it very funny, I found it mostly sad and pathetic. I did enjoy the story overall, there were some moments that were excellent, , and Julia Roberts did a nice job reading it. But it's not worth going out of your way to listen to.

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Angela Jones

This was an okay book to listen too it keeps your interest. It was just a story about a nanny and the relationship she had with a particular client. I fell in love with the child and hated the uppity parents. It makes you realize what is important in life.

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Anonymous

This is probably a good book in the written form, but is very boring to listen to. Julia Roberts narrates it and her voice is nice to hear, but that is the only thing I liked. I didn't even finish the story because it was so dull and lacked any kind of plot to keep you interested.

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didis

I thought this was going to be a comedy, but it was a crying shame. Listen to this only if you think that children are expendible. The book was well written and Julie Roberts did a great job of narrating, but I just wanted it to end.

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Anonymous

I did not find this book very interesting. It did not seem to have a plot. I gave up after listening to the first disc.

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Anonymous

WELL READ BUT NOT WHAT WE EXPECTED, SOMETHING WAS MISSING

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Anonymous

I listened to this book during my long commute to work. It was a perfect book to listen to while driving - it keeps you interested, but if you find that you've "tuned out" for a few sentences, you didn't miss much. This is the equivalent of US Weekly converted to a book on tape, it's juicy gossip relating to "uppity" New Yorkers, even though you don't have any real names. Not an award winning masterpiece, but something to make a long commute bearable and entertaining.

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Anonymous

I enjoyed listening to this very much. Julia Roberts did a great job portraying the different characters in the book. I hated having to stop listening when my commute time was over.

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Lynn from Canada

I enjoyed listening to this... well read and funny but sad as well. As a mother I occassionally wish for a Nanny, but can't imagine providing the writable dirt that these parents were able to - they are shameful. I found myself giggling aloud in car and then the next minute I wanted to choke the parents... Made me want to go home and hug my kid and listen to his stories once again.

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Rebecca

I enjoyed this book which vacilated from being funny to very sad. I found myself asking if very wealthy people really lived like this and why. It was a real insight into how the other half or maybe one fourth lives. As the old Beatles song says "Money won't buy you love".

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Erica H.

Although the book was funny and Julia Roberts struck a great tone in her reading, the story made me so furious at the insensitive, self-centered, disrespectful, neglectful parents the Nanny deals with that I was more angry by the time I got to work than I would have been just dealing with traffic. If I can't do something about people like that, it is too frustrating to read about it. This book drove me bats!

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Kristina

This book was a hoot! It kept me laughing and made my commute just fly. I loved it! Hillarious!

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Anonymous

Funny Book. Enjoyed it very much. The life of a young college girl working as a nanny for a horrible rich woman. Also liked The Devil Wears Prada along the same lines.

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Anonymous

For anyone who's ever dreamed of what it would be like to live in the world of Prada handbags and million dollar New York apartments, this is a reality check. Using humor and first-hand experience, The Nanny Diaries is a harsh look at the upper crust who'd rather not chauffer their precious toddlers around Manhattan to play dates and violin lessons, much less talk to or hug them. The authors have you ping-ponging between being thoroughly amused at how absolutely clueless "Mrs. X" can be, and being heartbroken at what a painful, loveless life the children are left with. A great read!

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