Dan's Papers - June 22, 2007 - book review: the manny

So what's a girl to do once she's won an Emmy for her work as a producer at ABC News, been published in The New York Times, Harper's Bazaar, Talk and Newsweek, had kids and managed a household? If you're Holly Peterson, the answer is clear - write a novel. In her first attempt at fiction, Peterson has created a world of Park Avenue princesses, their banker husbands and dysfunctional kids that is easily accessible to anyone with a penchant for juicy summer reading. The volume that holds it all, The Manny, has a plot that swirls around the concept of hiring a male nanny to step in where busy fathers have fallen short. The protagonist, Jamie, is both the outsider's ticket into the icy world and a character the reader sympathizes with as she struggles to do what is best for her children, even at the expense of her marriage. What unfolds is an unlikely love story between Jamie and her young, smart, caring manny that takes place from the beaches of the Hamptons to her New York City apartment.

Although Peterson is not in an unhappy marriage, she decided, after writing the book, to hire a manny herself. She explained, "I heard about the manny concept and I thought it was very funny. I like the whole untraditional aspect of it." But it was her husband who first suggested that she hire a manny and the results have been fantastic for her and her kids. Her manny is "terrific with the kids. He's 20, so he's sort of like my fourth kid. I think it's good for the kids to see a guy making the macaroni and cheese and taking care of them." Of course, in order to take the manny concept to the juicy beach-reading level, Peterson's imaginary manny, Peter, must sweep Jamie off her feet, which he does in a charming, down-to-earth way that is simply irresistible to the misplaced Midwestern girl.

Although New York City society mom novels seem to be popping up everywhere these days, Peterson's Manny seems to have more true-to-life descriptions and paint real characters who are all desperately trying to navigate their little WASPy world. Holly explained that after being in a newsroom for 20 years, she had "so many great characters" in front of her. Taken from her experiences writing about and living among New York's superrich, all Peterson had to do was group her favorite stories and character traits into recognizable people and get them all together on the page, entwined in scintillating subplots and a whirlwind romance. The only problem was finding the time to create it all. "I have three kids and I work at Newsweek three days a week, so I wrote the book at night, very late at night when there were no blackberries or phones to distract me." These midnight writing sessions lasted for nine months, after which Peterson found a publisher and got the story in motion. The novel took a year to edit, and by the time it came out in its first hardcover edition on June 19, the movie rights had already been sold.

The movie, which has already started production, is being written by Burr Steers, who wrote the screenplay for the successful Indie, Igby Goes Down. "We think Reese Witherspoon would be great as the mom," Peterson explained. "And the actor who plays the manny has to be hot because he's smart and great with kids. I don't think someone with chiseled features and six-pack abs would do justice to the character."

Of course, as the couple's first moments together as lovebirds take place on a Hamptons beach, "a lot of the scenes will be filmed in the Hamptons," Holly assured me. "There's something about the light in Sagaponack that you can't find anywhere else. There's nothing as beautiful as a Hamptons beach."

Of course, if you can't wait for the movie, there is a hilarious video circulating on YouTube.com all about The Manny, starring socialites like Tinsley Mortimer. Just go to www.YouTube.com and type "The Manny Book" in the search window. Although it is obviously advertising, you can't help but laugh at the crazy socialites and the hunky manny.

If you want to pick up a copy of The Manny and meet the author, head over to Bookhampton on Saturday, June 23, from five to seven p.m. to get your hands on the book before anyone else does and get it signed by Peterson Who knows? Maybe there will be a manny or two in the building...