The Nanny Diaries
 | |
| Author | Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Anne Twomey (design); Herman Estevez Studio (photography) |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Chick lit novel |
| Publisher | St. Martin's Press |
Publication date | 2002 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (Hardback and paperback) |
| Pages | 306 pp |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-312-29163-9 Parameter error in {{ISBNT}}: invalid character |
The Nanny Diaries is a popular 2002 novel by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus, both former nannies who use the book to satirize upper class Manhattan society.
The novel was also released as an audio book, read by actress Julia Roberts.
A film adaptation, filmed in New York, with Scarlett Johansson playing the role of Nan (renamed Annie in the movie), Paul Giamatti playing the role of Mr. X, and Laura Linney playing the role of Mrs. X, is due to be released in the United States on April 20, 2007. (See The Nanny Diaries (film))
Plot summary
Template:Spoiler The Nanny Diaries is the story of a young NYU student working to put herself through school. The story opens at the start of Nan's senior year. She's 21, living with a flight attendant roommate in a studio apartment and money is tight. She was working as a nanny for another family but they moved to London over the summer. She places an ad to find another position but a chance encounter in the park lands her a position with the X family caring for their young son Grayer. What at first appears to be just another normal nanny position soon turns into the job from hell as Nanny struggles to balance the stress of both her senior course load and caring for Grayer amid the chaos of his parents' crumbling marriage and selfish attitudes towards their child. The book takes place from September through June.
Characters
- Nanny
Nanny is the story's protagonist. She's a 21-year-old NYU senior majoring in Child Development and minoring in Gender Studies. She has been working part time as a nanny to pay her way through school. Nanny lives in a studio apartment with Charlene: a flight attendant whom she does not particularly get along with. Nanny is close to her Grandma and her parents plus her two best friends, Sarah and Josh.
- Grayer Addison X
Grayer is Nanny's 4-year-old charge. He is a typical 4-year-old who loves toys, playing at playgrounds with other children, and snack foods. Grayer carries around a tattered business card of his absentee father and gets very upset if the card is separated from him. Later in the book, Grayer also begins to wear one of this father's ties. Nanny calls him "Grover" (in reference to Sesame Street) or "G."
- Mrs. X
Socially prominent wife of Mr. X. Attended University of Connecticut, majoring in Art History. Became assistant curator of New York's Gagosian Gallery, where, via his acquisitive first wife, she met Mr. X. They proceeded to have an affair, with Mr. X eventually divorcing his wife (by then, practically a psychological disaster because of increasing proof of her husband's infidelity) and married, producing Grayer.
- Mr. X
Mrs. X's husband and Grayer's extremely absent father. He was married once before - the marriage was broken up by the current Mrs. X - and their marriage is well on the way to being broken up by Lisa Chenowith, aka: Ms. Chicago, who works at the Chicago branch of his company. Throughout the novel, he is conducting a merger within his company that has him leaving town regularly for one reason or another.
- Harvard Hottie
The boy that lives in the same building as the Xes'. Nanny grows a fond liking to him. They later date. He's always out of town. He also is never named more than "Harvard Hottie." He proves support to Nanny; most of the scenes that they are in together contain him listening to some problem related with the X family.
- Charlene
Nanny's flight attendant roommate. The two of them don't seem to get along very well, and any friendship they might have had most likely ends when Hairy Pilot moves in and Nan has to move out.
- Hairy
Charlene's boyfriend, Hairy Pilot. Nan is later booted from her and Charlene's apartment when Hairy moves in.
- Ms. Chicago
Lisa Chenowith, Managing Director of the Chicago Branch of Mr. X's company. Or, as Nan refers to her, Ms. Chicago (because of a Halloween costume she wore, including a bowler hat, fishnets and a leotard, refering to the Broadway show "Chicago," because that was their biggest market). Nanny discovers that Mr. X is having an affair with her at the company Halloween party, and later finds her in the X's apartment on New Year's Day while the family is in Lyford Cay.