The Lindbergh Nanny - Book Review

 

The Lindbergh Nanny

Mariah Fredericks

3.5 stars


 

 

 

The re-telling of the kidnapping of 20 month old Charlie from the home of his American hero father Charles and mother, Anne Morrow Lindbergh. Through the eyes of Betty Gow, the nanny, we see her feelings of loss and guilt as she becomes the target of the media.

We are allowed behind the scenes of the lives of other staff members and witness their weaknesses and foibles in dealing with the famous family. 

There was a slow build-up to the actual event and given so much info on Betty's background, family, past romances, it almost ground to a halt for me. This cast of unsympathetic characters, who eventually betrayed someone, were at times hard to tolerate even though I did complete the book.

Several insights of Charles Lindbergh's character and beliefs on raising a child, left me cold and did not put him in the grieving father category. The life that he and Anne led, is probably not uncommon among the rich and famous even today, but it was portrayed in a way that made them appear somewhat heartless. And yet, Lindbergh is still considered an American hero.

It was a long book to me, and although I appreciated the author's combination of fact and fiction, I would not say that it is one of my favourite reads for the year. 

If you are a history buff, you might enjoy the description of the culture within the household, the houses and the expectations of the staff both of themselves and from their employers. 

The mystery of little Charlie's abduction continues today, and when I did some additional reading on the Lindbergh's subsequent life and children, it gave a more substantive look at the event.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #MinotaurBooks for the opportunity to read another telling of this historical story.

Drop me a line about what you are reading. 

I'm tackling John Irving's, The Last Chairlift(912 pages), so it could be a while before you hear from me again!


 

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