Primates of Park Avenue

Adventures Inside the Secret Sisterhood of Manhattan Moms

De: Wednesday Martin Ph.D. Ph.D.

Narrado por: Madeleine Maby

An instant #1 New York Times bestseller, Primates of Park Avenue is an “amusing, perceptive and…deliciously evil” (The New York Times Book Review) memoir of the most secretive and elite tribe—Manhattan’s Upper East Side mothers.

When Wednesday Martin first arrives on New York City’s Upper East Side, she’s clueless about the right addresses, the right wardrobe, and the right schools, and she’s taken aback by the glamorous, sharp-elbowed mommies around her. She feels hazed and unwelcome until she begins to look at her new niche through the lens of her academic background in anthropology. As she analyzes the tribe’s mating and migration patterns, childrearing practices, fetish objects, physical adornment practices, magical purifying rituals, bonding rites, and odd realities like sex segregation, she finds it easier to fit in and even enjoy her new life. Then one day, Wednesday’s world is turned upside down, and she finds out there’s much more to the women who she’s secretly been calling Manhattan Geishas.

“Think Gossip Girl, but with a sociological study of the parents” (InStyle.com), Wednesday’s memoir is absolutely “eye-popping” (People). Primates of Park Avenue lifts a veil on a secret, elite world within a world—the strange, exotic, and utterly foreign and fascinating life of privileged Manhattan motherhood.

Interesting almost scientific read

As someone who has studied anthropology I found this book an interesting read. It is simple enough for someone with no background but I the parts I enjoyed most were her 'field notes' on the costuming of her tribe. Overall it's a more cerebral than your average chick lit but would never the less fit loosely into that category.

Tedious yet compelling

Part comedy and part social commentary, this memoir is indulgent and high brow. While its pop culture anecdotes and references are amusing, I found all the anthropologic details a bit too tedious and detailed. The author beleaguers certain points not requiring such long explanations. I would have loved to have heard more personal experience and stories versus broad conclusions but in the end it was entertaining if not predictable.

Everything

I felt like I was living her experience as she is talking. I was anxious, confident, sad and angry!! Such an eye opener to the private lives of UES.

Witty.

I thought the book moved quickly, the balance of anecdotes to anthropological speak was on point and some of the stories made me laugh out loud. Would recommend. I enjoyed the narrator.

Interesting take on the upper east side...

Although the timeline was a little bit jumpy. One minute the writer is walking to her fitness class in the Hamptons and next she is in a car fighting for a parking space to get to the same class she was just walking to.

A little stretched for dramatic moments at times but has real moments as the story moves along.

Listened to as recommended from other audible

I did purchase this audible book as it was recommended by the author of another audible book I listened to. At first I wasn't sure if it was what I was expecting and it wasn't, but I did complete it and so glad I did. you really must listen all the way to the end! No spoilers here.

Great book

This book was amazing! Great summer read I loved this book because I dream one day to live in Manhattan. But for the time being I’ll just live upstate NY where I live

Entho-tainment at its best

Although the reading was staccato at times, Martin's voice pulls through. This is an ideal introduction to anthropology and a glimpse into the ways elite Mommy's make sense of and navigate their world. It is both critical and generous at times - as good ethnography is. It is not traditional anthro-vetted by IRBs and underscored by dense theory- but it is approachable and entertaining and is quite good ethnography, earning its place alongside monographs ideal for intro to cultural or intro to anthro courses.

A reead for every mom but buy the print version!

The perfect read for every mom who feels like she doesn't fit in this book gives you all the readons why. You won't want to anymore. The reader is awful so buy the print version dont buy the audible book. Good story. Funny and perceptive.

Anthropological view on Manhattan ladies

Interesting insight on the pristine appearance of socialite life. it still felt a bit aloof but it was a quick and easy read.