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Nanny Diaries
Nanny Diaries | Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus
30 posts | 148 read | 19 to read
Written by two former nannies, Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus, The Nanny Diaries deftly punctures the glamour of Manhattan's upper class. Now a major motion picture starring Scarlett Johansson and Laura Linney. 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 his family. Must enjoy the delicious anticipation of ridiculously erratic pay. Mostly, must love being treated like fungus found growing out of employers Herms bag. Those who take it personally need not apply. Who wouldn't want this job? 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.
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review
Maggie4483
The Nanny Diaries: A Novel | Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus
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Mehso-so

When I first read this, I gave it 5 stars. Age & wisdom have bumped it down to 3; it‘s not nearly as funny as I remember. Maybe it‘s because I‘ve seen the movie too many times, where the mom is redeemed just a little, I felt ZERO sympathy for the Mrs. X in the book. My heart breaks for that little boy (& the dog). I hope he gets a happy ending in the sequel
And this line hit like a punch in the gut. I have felt exactly that way in my own career.

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Maggie4483
The Nanny Diaries: A Novel | Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus
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I cannot believe how fast this year has gone by!

#Roll100

PuddleJumper I'm in denial! It's still March 🤣 1mo
23 likes1 comment
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JuliaTheBookNerd
The Nanny Diaries: A Novel | Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus
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#WWomanFacingAway ☂️ #ItTakesAllKinds ☘️🌈🌷🌞

#BookNerd 🤓📚💙

Eggs Brilliant 👏🏻👏🏻 9mo
48 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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TheSpineView
The Nanny Diaries: A Novel | Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus
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#Movie2BookRecs @Klou
Movie: Mrs. Doubtfire

Klou Awesome!! 12mo
42 likes2 comments
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TheSpineView
The Nanny Diaries: A Novel | Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus
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#Movie2BookRecs @klou
Prompt: Nanny Cam

PageShifter Seems like a fun book! 2y
Klou @PageShifter it does, you're right. Great choice @TheSpineView 2y
SomedayAlmost I worked for the same childcare agency as Nanny Diaries writer… mixed feelings about that book… 2y
50 likes5 comments
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zurazureen
The Nanny Diaries: A Novel | Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus
Mehso-so

an insight of how sometimes stranger becomes family and how exploitative a job can be ☹️ the movie do justice to the novel

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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
The Nanny Diaries: A Novel | Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus
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Not exactly #Rain, but an umbrella ☔️📚 🤷🏼‍♀️

#AcrossApril

Eggs We can make that work 🤓🤓🤩😂 5y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻 5y
76 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Cinfhen
The Nanny Diaries: A Novel | Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus
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#LilithJuly I don‘t remember much about this book, other than the parents were AWFUL and there‘s an #umbrella on the cover ( an ode to Mary Poppins, perhaps?!?!??) I recall watching the movie on a transatlantic flight✈️ I think it was entertaining enough. I do love the song, though 🎶

marleed Oh this is one of my favorite books on my shelves. I remember the camera in the teddy bear. I also recall listening to the audiobook which I believe was read by Julia Roberts. 5y
TrishB I love the song too!! Not my usual stuff but I have a very strong admiration for Rihanna , my kids keep saying they‘re going to take me to see her. 5y
Cinfhen I‘ve yet to see Rihanna perform, although Niki said she was terrible live 🙁 @TrishB but there‘s something about her that I find mesmerizing 5y
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Cinfhen Yes!!! The teddy cam @marleed that was HUGE!!! 5y
DebinHawaii Great pick. I thought the movie was cute. ☂️ 5y
KarenUK @marleed Well I‘m sold on the audio, if Julia Roberts is narrating! Love her! 🎧💕 5y
Reviewsbylola I loved this book! 5y
89 likes1 stack add7 comments
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EmilieGR
The Nanny Diaries: A Novel | Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus
Panpan

Saccharine and boring

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Kaila-ann
The Nanny Diaries: A Novel | Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus
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Pickpick

Another one from the #Rorygilmorereadinglist / #rorygilmorereadingchallenge bites the dust. It was a quick, easy read for a #lazysunday. Without giving too much away, I know that there are parents like Mr. and Mrs. X out there and my heart broke for all the Grayers and Nanny‘s of the world.

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GripLitGrl
The Nanny Diaries: A Novel | Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus
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📑The Nanny Diaries
📝Celeste Ng
🎥Natural Born Killers
🍴Nachos
Late with my #ManicMonday #letterN post @JoScho

JoScho 💛💜💛 6y
35 likes1 comment
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JacintaMCarter
The Nanny Diaries: A Novel | Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus
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I read this years ago with the intention of reading it before I saw the movie. But then I never got around to watching the movie. Maybe now, a decade later, I‘ll find the time to check it out. #TBTReads

CaroPi I enjoyed this book a lot when I read it! 6y
Linear I liked the movie, I'm so bad about going back and reading books movies are based on. 6y
70 likes2 comments
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Meaw_catlady
The Nanny Diaries: A Novel | Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus
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#crimesagainstcovers #dayone #mostwreckedbook My own book collection is full of old roughed up books but alas it is all in storage in CO. I‘m currently a live in nanny in CA. So I decided to choose these children‘s books that have not survived the babies. There was even one book I had to save that was completely taped shut with washi tape by the 3year old. #lifeofananny #tearing #waterspilling #slobbering #littlemonsters

Erinsuereads Poor poor sheep in a Jeep! 6y
Meaw_catlady @ErinSueG someone didn‘t want that being read to them anymore I guess 😈 6y
Erinsuereads I like that even mother goose is falling apart 6y
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Meaw_catlady @ErinSueG yes. She used to read nursery rhymes. Now she cannot speak. The pink one was E‘s. And R has a blue bonneted one that is also ded... 6y
Erinsuereads “I was born into the darkness” 6y
Meaw_catlady @ErinSueG rotflmao.... same mother goose same 6y
25 likes1 stack add6 comments
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Jediash1
The Nanny Diaries: A Novel | Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus
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Pickpick

I love reading with my kitty in the morning before work! 😻 I saw the movie version of this and wanted to read the book as well. It‘s about an NYU student who decides to nanny for a wealthy Park Avenue family. She forms a special bond with 4-year-old Grayer but the parents are truly TERRIBLE. While some of the situations are funny, the book is actually rather sad, when you realize the future Grayer has to look forward to.

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Blueberry
The Nanny Diaries: A Novel | Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus
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Rachbb3 Bonhoeffer 👍🏼👍🏼❤ 7y
49 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Jennick2004
The Nanny Diaries: A Novel | Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus
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Pickpick

Finished my book at the lake! Finally got over my reading slump by finishing my first book in weeks!

Lindy 🎉 7y
rather_be_reading i see this at every thrift store i go 7y
22 likes2 comments
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Jennick2004
The Nanny Diaries: A Novel | Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus
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Pickpick

Finished this book at the lake :) As I was reading I realized I‘ve already seen the movie...but it was fun and surprising just the same! Yay for the first book I‘ve finished in weeks! #readingslumpover

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Jennick2004
The Nanny Diaries: A Novel | Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus
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What is the matter with me...I just cannot read 😭 I just got over a migraine cycle (6 in 7 days) and now I have no desire to read whatsoever...make it stop!
#readingslump

DrexEdit I'm sorry to hear of your reading slump! 😔 7y
33 likes1 stack add1 comment
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JuliaTheBookNerd
The Nanny Diaries: A Novel | Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus
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🌂 #ThisRemindsMeOf The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus
#BookNerd 📚💙

61 likes3 stack adds
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Jennick2004
The Nanny Diaries: A Novel | Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus
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Oh dear...

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Jennick2004
The Nanny Diaries: A Novel | Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus
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If the plane tickets weren‘t enough, I also found the purchase receipt for the book, from the San Diego Airport in 2005 😊

31 likes1 comment
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Jennick2004
The Nanny Diaries: A Novel | Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus
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Nothing like finding someone‘s airline ticket stubs in a book :)

MommyOfTwo Inteeesting 7y
JanuarieTimewalker13 Those have to be old!!! America West was eaten up by US Airways a long time ago! 7y
Jennick2004 @JanuarieTimewalker13 yeah I‘ve never heard of it and I‘m 32 lol 7y
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JanuarieTimewalker13 Hahaha! I used to fly AW a lot bc I‘m from NY (originally) but lived in Vegas. Actually, what I just read is that they adopted the US Airways name but they were the larger airline. I‘m not even sure if US Airways is still around! Lol 7y
JanuarieTimewalker13 Nope...merged with AA. Amazing what you can learn from a book!!! Hahahahaha 7y
Jennick2004 I never fly so I‘m clueless 🤣 7y
LauraBeth I just found my own airline ticket stubs in my own book from 25 years ago 😀 7y
CouronneDhiver That must be from quite awhile ago... 7y
37 likes9 comments
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PurpleyPumpkin
The Nanny Diaries: A Novel | Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus
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These are both on my #neverendingtbr and seemed fitting books for the #occupationintitle prompt. Paired with a bottle of red wine because I think I'd need a bottle everyday if this were my job! #day4 #fallintobooks

Lcsmcat I loved The Nanny Diaries, and that was before my daughter started working as a nanny. She could add some stories of her own! 7y
PurpleyPumpkin I'm sure she could. She's now my hero! I think being a nanny must be one of the most difficult jobs in the world. 👍🏽 7y
bookishkai @PurpleyPumpkin it takes a lot, but I wouldn't trade it for a "traditional" job any day. Yes, I have to daily out-stubborn the MOST stubborn three year old ever, and she never stops moving or talking, but no day is predictable (or wasn't; I'm on indefinite medical leave but my family is paying me and holding my job; I'm really lucky). I became a nanny by accident, but I can't imagine doing anything else. 7y
PurpleyPumpkin @bookishkris You are amazing! And it sounds as though you really enjoy your job. Good for you! I couldn't do it, but I applaud those, like you, that can. 😉 7y
bookishkai @PurpleyPumpkin yeah, it's not a job for everyone. I used to tell my partner, who worked for the government, that I could never do her job, and I know she could never do mine. We went to visit my nanny family over the summer and while we were there Little Llama did her thing, playing and up and down the stairs and putting on a show and drawing pictures. When we got home my partner said now she understood why I came home exhausted every night! 7y
56 likes5 comments
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bookishkai
The Nanny Diaries: A Novel | Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus
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I just found out that my best friend is going to be taking over caring for my nanny kid (here we are when little Llama was, I think, 18 mos) while I'm unable to work. She was nearing the end of her time with her current family, and mine has had trouble with their temp. So it's a good situation all around. And what I haven't said to anyone is that if I can't go back to work, maybe they could make it a permanent thing.

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GypsyKat
The Nanny Diaries: A Novel | Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus
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42 likes3 stack adds
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Jennick2004
The Nanny Diaries: A Novel | Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus
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TBR box in my bedroom :)

Megabooks The Pretty Little Liars series was one of my guilty pleasures! I read all 16. 😃 8y
22 likes1 comment
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Elisa
The Nanny Diaries: A Novel | Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus
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Panpan

Hmmm. I am not sure how I feel about this book. Actually, yes, I do: it left me unsatisfied and a little frustrated. I realize that people like the Xs really exist, but somehow this story didn't ring honest, despite the fact that it's supposed to be inspired by actual events. It just felt a bit too choreographed, like a play filled with self-conscious actors. Also, it's a self-described comedy but it doesn't read like one IMO.

Godmotherx5 I read it while in the hospital. At the time, it was perfect for that type of situation. Light & easy. 8y
16 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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JacqMac
The Nanny Diaries: A Novel | Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus
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Yay! Litsy is back and I can post again. #septphotochallenge #workplacebooks I am a SAHM now, but in my former life I was a nanny. And I worked for a Mrs X. I could relate to this book so much. And I never wish a Mrs X on anyone.

bookishkai *fist bump* for nannies! I'm lucky I've never worked for a full-on Mrs. X, but I hear plenty of horror stories from other nannies. 8y
Alisnazzy Shout out to our fellow SAHM!! 8y
JacqMac @bookishkris @Ambrosnazzy 👊's all around. 8y
35 likes3 stack adds3 comments
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bookishkai
The Nanny Diaries: A Novel | Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus
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Living the dream today. MomBoss has a study group at the house so the Munchkin and I are rockin' life deliberately nap free, making art collages at the Children's Museum. Thankfully my bosses are nothing at all like Mr. and Mrs. X.

Reviewsbylola Nap free can be scary. Good luck to you! 8y
Mayread Have you read Re Jane? The nanny guide stuff for progressive Brooklyn parenting is amazing. 8y
JacqMac I worked for a Mr and Mrs X. What a nightmare that was! I could so relate to this book. Good luck with the no nap day. 8y
See All 7 Comments
atroskity My son is 3 and hasn't napped in 2 years (not a planned thing). It makes bedtime crazy easy. 8y
Erinreadsthebooks I loved this book! Neither of my children were good nappers, so everyday was a "no nap day" 8y
readinginthedark If we have a big, planned activity, my son is fine. But otherwise, he becomes really mean if he doesn't nap. Just snappy and sometimes belligerent. 8y
bookishkai @Skiles I haven't read Re Jane, but I just added it to my list. @JacqMac oh man, that must have been awful. Aside from my first nanny job, my other families have been really good. 8y
71 likes11 stack adds7 comments