The Nanny Chronicles of Hollywood

by Julie Swales, Stella Reld

FOR AN INSIDER GLIMPSE of the world’s rich, famous, and overly indulged, who better to askthan the people who take care of their children? After all, these are the women (and men!) who see them before makeup and wardrobe and after a few too many cocktails. Amidst the fantastic luxury, sexy celebrities, and hyped-up household politics, the nanny certainly has more to handle than diapers and bedtimes. But if you’re just looking for dirt, you won’t find it in these pages. Instead, authors Julie Swales and Stella Reid share anecdotes and insights about what happens when money, power, and fame intersect with the highly personal arena of raising children.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir

172 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 28, 2015

Reviews

[Arminda Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I am friends with the author Stella Reid and because I adore Stella I wanted to read her book, although without that connection this is not a book I would normally have picked up to read.

Having said that, I couldn't put this book down!! I read it in a few hours' time. It's phenomenally written, full of true stories you'll question that other humans currently sharing the same planet actually behave like this, and yet Ms. Swales & Ms. Reid underscore the seemingly obnoxious behavior of the rich and famous with a thread of humanity you won't find perusing the tabloids.

Anyone at all interested in the full-time care of children and/or the true stories behind the glamorous red carpet outfits (you know you can't wait to catch up on the latest news when you get to the check out lane), grab a copy of this book and a glass of iced tea and settle back for a few hours of high quality entertainment with a solid sense of humanity thrown in for good measure.

Well done, ladies. Well done.

[Brianna E · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining book, especially if you've ever been a professional nanny. The book is laid out as a series of short stories as you follow the interview, work life and exit of four different nannies.
I never nannied in Hollywood, I worked for doctors, lawyers and surgeons but I can see how much it amplifies the nanny arrangement.

[Michelle A. Stack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Must read for prospective Nannies

This book is well written and a quick fun read. Everyone considering becoming a nanny should read it in order to avoid the common pitfalls.

[cristie hopper · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible Read

Not a chronicle at all but a fragmented boring essay. I want my $4 back. Waste of my time. Don't bother.

[kimberly jacobs · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don't bother

The book can be summed up in one sentence don't bother it's boring, babysitting 101 for the rich what a waste of time

[Christie Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Obviously real names can't be used, but this was mostly people whinging about working for wealthy people. Care giving is hard. I imagine the money is seductive, but in the end, people are people.

[Linda Berger]

The Nanny Chronicles of Hollywood

Interesting read. Makes me know that this field of service is not for me. Well written and thought out. I have a more honest view of a nanny's position.

[Mediaman · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is pretty bad--it's one of the worst-organized books I've ever read, filled with super-short episodic stories about nannying for Hollywood stars but written in a way to make it really boring. The main problem is the stories are just all tossed together with very little order. Oh, there are supposedly chapter themes (like "sex," of which of course ends up there is no sex between nanny and employer) but the authors break with the themes all the time and go into very little depth. It's pretty much the same stories over and over again.

They make a major mistake by also telling the stories of four featured nannies (three female, one male) but they break up their stories throughout the book. It gets totally confusing to read a few pages about Laura or Tracy, and then not hear more of their stories until 40 pages later. If the actual celebrities would have been named then maybe this would have been somewhat suspenseful, but as written it makes the reader want to give up because they all sound the same.

The authors are an agency manager and a TV star from England--not exactly your average American 19-year-old nanny. They brag quite a bit about the perks of the job and honestly don't make any of the difficulties seem that bad if the babysitters are given $10,000 Christmas bonus gifts. Then on the last page of the book the writers claim that there's a whole other side to the story to tell (from the celebrity viewpoint) and tease that it will be their next book! No thanks.

Without the names of any of the celebrities included in the book it comes across as almost fictional or very difficult to believe at times. Don't waste your time on this--instead read "You'll Never Nanny in This Town Again," a book that does name names by a woman who was a nanny and is very well written.

[Alfred J. Coscia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Cleverly Written Peek

I give it 5 stars because I simply got exactly what I wanted from reading this book. I was very interested in the stories, points of view, the heartfelt confessions and the entirety of the book maintains the true love of their charges and profession.

I learned quite a bit about being a nanny (or manny) and agree that we are woefully backwards in not respecting our child carers and valuing both nannies and teachers both professionally and especially, in general, financially.

The salacious peering into celebrities antics were eye-opening, certainly! It's interesting to learn how far from reality some can be. The perks were shown to be both a a boon and a possible ball and chain.

I really do appreciate a writer who can be as unbiased as possible and I have a lot more information, thus more respect for nannies and the specific difficult nature of doing so for celebrities. It was a fun read and a tip of the cap to the Mary Poppinses in Lala Land and worldwide.

[Shelly Boltz-Zito · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ridiculously terrific

I loved it! It reminded me of my babysitting days. Except I got paid crap but was expected to do the housework, laundry, feed the pets, wake the husband for work, etc plus deal with 2 yr old twin girls and their 5 yr old bratty brother. All at the age of 16. And then the mom stiffed me on pay.
I've raised/raising 9 children of my own and I have done it without a nanny help, or mostly hubby help either. I wish I had the help that the book described. I would love to have their money issues also.
But the trials they have to go through isn't worth it. Reading about it made me laugh and break my heart at the same time. You couldn't make this stuff up nor could you pay me enough to give up my life like they did.
Great book, honesty, gut wrenching, tears and lots of love went into the stories. It was a great read and made me truly realize how lucky I am. I don't have a nanny. Sometimes it would be nice but dealing with all the crap. No thank you!

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of a shallow book about what it's like to work for very rich celebrity families. Hint: tons of perks, but they take total advantage of you. I was frustrated with the nannies who got easily sucked into the wealthy lifestyle and failed to save much of the considerable income they earned. The families were ported as pretty miserable overall - poor parents, they would fire the nannies without letting them say goodbye to the kids with little to no notice or reason and they were just generally unpleasant (with a few exceptions).

[Les · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are looking for a scandalous tell all from disgruntled Hollywood nannies, don't read this book.

This book is written as a part what to expect if you become a Hollywood nanny as well as some cautionary anonymous stories from Nannies and a manny.

The stories are fascinating.

[Sue-Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

God book

I definitely enjoyed an inside peek at life in Hollywood from a nanny's point of view. Quite interesting and hoping for another book!

[Nancy A. Leahy]

Peek into the other side


Interesting look into lifestyle few of us get to experience. Harmless voyeurism into the underbelly of the lives of celebrities

[Carola A. Billmyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun read

Fast and easy read. Fascinating to see how the hoi polloi live. Can't wait for the next book. Thank you.