What do you think?
Rate this book
Leisureville: Adventures in America's Retirement Utopias
When his next-door neighbors in a quaint New England town suddenly pick up and move to a gated retirement community in Florida, Andrew D. Blechman is astonished by their stories. Larger than Manhattan, with a golf course for every day of the month, two downtowns, its own newspaper, radio, and TV stations, The Villages is a city of nearly one hundred thousand (and growing), missing only one thing: children. More than twelve million people will soon live in these communities, and to get to the bottom of the trend, Blechman delves into life in the senior utopia. He offers a hilarious first-hand report on all its peculiarities, from ersatz nostalgia and golf-cart mania to manufactured history and the residents’ surprisingly active sex life, and introduces us to dozens of outrageous characters. Leisureville is also a serious look at a major and underreported trend, only to get bigger as the baby boomers retire. Blechman travels to Arizona to show what has happened after decades of segregation. He investigates the government of these “instant” cities, attends a builder’s conference, speaks with housing experts, and examines the implications of millions of Americans dropping out of society and closing the gates on kids.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published December 31, 2007
77 people are currently reading
447 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
November 19, 2014
Would you feel abandoned if your long time neighbors after many years of community involvement suddenly announced that they are retiring and plan to move to a retirement community in Florida? Why are people willing to move away from a lifetime collection of friends and acquaintances to a place where they don’t know anybody? That’s what the author of this book was wondering when his neighbors did exactly that.
So Blechman, the author, visited his neighbors at their new address in the Villages, “the largest gated retirement community in the world,” and stayed for a month interviewing people, both inside and outside of the community. He also visited other similar developments in Arizona, collected information on the history of these types of communities, and put the information together into this surprisingly interesting book.
I think one reason I enjoyed reading the book is that I share some of the suspicious skepticism that Blechman shows in his writing about this one remaining form of housing segregation that is legal -- age restricted housing. I believe this sort of housing segregation is a natural extension of urban flight to the suburbs. These are probably the same people who segregated themselves from others of differing social/economic/racial characteristics by moving to the suburbs. Deciding to move to a large retirement community populated by retirees of similar economic background is just one more logical step consistent with their life values.
My criticism of age restricted housing is not aimed at moderately sized housing for older people, that provides differing levels of care, and are located near the communities where their residents have spent most of their lives. Rather my comments, and most of this book’s focus, are aimed at developments like the Villages which is a 20,000-acre subdivision that sprawls across three counties and two zip codes of central Florida. It has its own news media and private quasi government. It is so big that it dominates local politics with its large number of voters who were able to change the form of county government and move the county seat to more favorably serve the interests of the retirement community at the expense of the surrounding community. These types of developments tend to locate themselves in areas with cheap land and pliable local governments. Such areas tend to be economically depressed which sets up a contrast of living standards, the wealthy gated community surrounded by a poorer native community.
Another thing that may make this book interesting for some readers is Blechman’s writing about people over 55 socializing, having sex, drinking, smoking pot, line dancing and saying they are happy with their lives. (This of course was of no interest to me.) I was surprised to learn that the rate of sexually transmitted disease is high in these types of communities. This demonstrates that as people get older they don't necessarily become more mature.
This book was first published in 2007 which would have been prior to the 2008 economic recession. The second edition published in 2008 contains an Epilogue that acknowledges that the bursting housing bubble was making it more difficult for people to sell their old houses and invest in these retirement communities. Thus prices and sales were falling. So this book reflects the “Leisureville” at its enthusiastic peak. Somebody needs to write a followup story about how things went in these communities during the past six years.
So Blechman, the author, visited his neighbors at their new address in the Villages, “the largest gated retirement community in the world,” and stayed for a month interviewing people, both inside and outside of the community. He also visited other similar developments in Arizona, collected information on the history of these types of communities, and put the information together into this surprisingly interesting book.
I think one reason I enjoyed reading the book is that I share some of the suspicious skepticism that Blechman shows in his writing about this one remaining form of housing segregation that is legal -- age restricted housing. I believe this sort of housing segregation is a natural extension of urban flight to the suburbs. These are probably the same people who segregated themselves from others of differing social/economic/racial characteristics by moving to the suburbs. Deciding to move to a large retirement community populated by retirees of similar economic background is just one more logical step consistent with their life values.
My criticism of age restricted housing is not aimed at moderately sized housing for older people, that provides differing levels of care, and are located near the communities where their residents have spent most of their lives. Rather my comments, and most of this book’s focus, are aimed at developments like the Villages which is a 20,000-acre subdivision that sprawls across three counties and two zip codes of central Florida. It has its own news media and private quasi government. It is so big that it dominates local politics with its large number of voters who were able to change the form of county government and move the county seat to more favorably serve the interests of the retirement community at the expense of the surrounding community. These types of developments tend to locate themselves in areas with cheap land and pliable local governments. Such areas tend to be economically depressed which sets up a contrast of living standards, the wealthy gated community surrounded by a poorer native community.
Another thing that may make this book interesting for some readers is Blechman’s writing about people over 55 socializing, having sex, drinking, smoking pot, line dancing and saying they are happy with their lives. (This of course was of no interest to me.) I was surprised to learn that the rate of sexually transmitted disease is high in these types of communities. This demonstrates that as people get older they don't necessarily become more mature.
This book was first published in 2007 which would have been prior to the 2008 economic recession. The second edition published in 2008 contains an Epilogue that acknowledges that the bursting housing bubble was making it more difficult for people to sell their old houses and invest in these retirement communities. Thus prices and sales were falling. So this book reflects the “Leisureville” at its enthusiastic peak. Somebody needs to write a followup story about how things went in these communities during the past six years.
Read
February 21, 2009Where do I begin? I found that Blechman started with the premise that all retirees buying into age-restricted communities were selfish seniors who didn't want to be around children. He then set out to support that premise.
His experience of the Villages is a clear example. Instead of using the weekly activity guide to visit lots of different venues, clubs and happenings, Blechman chose to hang out with Mr. Midnight and his crew at Katie Belles, the Bistro and even Mr. Midnight's house more than he did with other Villagers. Talk about a skewed sample!!
It is my experience that many Villagers reluctantly leave communities and children behind as they make the move to sunny, warmer weather. Many of us choose to frequent the family pools and our frequent forays to mainstream shopping and restaurants keep us part of the whole demographic. We are really drawn to the wealth of activities available to meet the varied needs and interests of seniors. We enjoy our down time and the ability to set our own schedules after years of childrearing and working.
Instead of putting down these adult communities, Mr. Blechman should be questioning what his community could do differently or better to retain its older population. Sorry, but many of us are not content to view a "senior center" in a rundown old building as sufficient to mentally and socially engage our still very-young minds and bodies. What percentage of municipal budgets are really targeted to the senior population? In an era of tight finances, school budgets are being slashed. What's left for seniors and who really cares?
This book is totally biased and self-serving, and doesn't even earn a "1" rating because of that lack of honest investigation and reporting. In fact, I rate it as "fiction." Maybe if Mr. Blechman had "included" his Villager neighbors up north, he might have missed their company more than their well-manicured lawn!
His experience of the Villages is a clear example. Instead of using the weekly activity guide to visit lots of different venues, clubs and happenings, Blechman chose to hang out with Mr. Midnight and his crew at Katie Belles, the Bistro and even Mr. Midnight's house more than he did with other Villagers. Talk about a skewed sample!!
It is my experience that many Villagers reluctantly leave communities and children behind as they make the move to sunny, warmer weather. Many of us choose to frequent the family pools and our frequent forays to mainstream shopping and restaurants keep us part of the whole demographic. We are really drawn to the wealth of activities available to meet the varied needs and interests of seniors. We enjoy our down time and the ability to set our own schedules after years of childrearing and working.
Instead of putting down these adult communities, Mr. Blechman should be questioning what his community could do differently or better to retain its older population. Sorry, but many of us are not content to view a "senior center" in a rundown old building as sufficient to mentally and socially engage our still very-young minds and bodies. What percentage of municipal budgets are really targeted to the senior population? In an era of tight finances, school budgets are being slashed. What's left for seniors and who really cares?
This book is totally biased and self-serving, and doesn't even earn a "1" rating because of that lack of honest investigation and reporting. In fact, I rate it as "fiction." Maybe if Mr. Blechman had "included" his Villager neighbors up north, he might have missed their company more than their well-manicured lawn!
October 13, 2021
Where to start?
This book is both dated and kind of a hot mess. That doesn't mean it's not worth reading. As a history of age-restricted and age-segregated (aka "retirement") communities in the US, it's pretty good.
The author traces the history of Sun City, AZ and The Villages in Florida. He does a far better job covering Sun City, in my opinion, maybe because he was dealing more with documented facts and less with his alcohol-laden experience visiting The Villages for a month. (I'm not implying anything he doesn't say himself. He basically spent every evening drinking at the local watering hole under guise of "research.") Blechman covers some interesting topics about these large age-restricted havens that most of us probably don't think of at all: tax base issues, restricted land use, corporations exploiting loopholes to circumvent governing bodies, how a homogeneous non-native population can skew politics, etc. I didn't agree with everything he presented, but I was willing to consider his arguments.
Blechman frames the book around his experience of having a neighbor who decided to move to one of these communities and what he (the author) sees as their sudden cult-like devotion to The Villages. And while I agree with him that The Villages comes off as fairly creepy and plastic, and they have definitely screwed up the environment and the political process in Sumter, Lake and Marion counties, I've also spent enough time in Florida to believe that "creepy, plastic, and screwed up" is an accurate description of the entire state. Full disclosure: I hated every minute I've ever spent in Florida, so much so that I once asked to be fired rather than have to go there anymore. I hated it as a child. I hated it as an adult. I've been to all parts of the state and detest them all about equally. I freely admit my bias.
Where Blechman loses me is that he takes his neighbor's defection from the frozen Northeast to PlasticLand so very personally. He comes off as incredulous and a little outraged that someone might want to be around people they have more in common with than a property line or that someone might want to not have to worry about driving, yard work, and the noise from other people's kids (or those kids' parents.) Just prior to starting this book, Blechman's wife had their first child. Like most parents who planned for kids (or at least wanted them), he is deep into that parental delusion where the parent is convinced that not only is his child the greatest thing that ever happened to him, but said child is the greatest thing to ever happen to the planet; therefore, everyone has a civic and moral duty to be equally enthralled and obsessed with children (especially his). While it's great parents feel that way -- mostly because it's the incentive they need to get through mountains of diapers, toddler tantrums, and teen angst -- it really is unreasonable to expect everyone to be as enamored with little Oliver or Madison as you are.
Blechman tries to make an argument that age-segregated communities are a violation of civil rights for people with children. IMO, that's just a big pile of hyperbole. It's not like people with children are forced into slums or have limited options of places they can live. The number of traditional communities far outnumbers age-restricted ones. Blechman also tries to pin the unraveling of the "traditional community" on people who don't want to be mentors for the younger generations. While some of that might be true, there are definitely bigger factors to the decline of neighborhoods other than grandmas refusing to be the de facto free babysitter or preferring to spend her final years in a place where she can talk to other adults that don't have their faces glued to a cell phone. (Although that's becoming the norm for seniors, too.)
Hey, as someone who is childless by choice, I get where Grandma Grumpy is coming from. At every job I've ever had, people with kids tried to shovel their work off on childless coworkers so they can attend little Emma's pre-k graduation ceremony -- which shouldn't even be a thing -- or Noah's toddler league soccer practice with some version of "I KNOW you don't mind covering for me because I HAVE KIDS. The "whereas you have NOTHING GOING ON" is often implied, but sometimes said out loud. Uh, think again. (Ever notice these people never, ever offer anything in return for this forced favor?)
While I have zero interest in golf or living in a cookie cutter maze with a bunch of ultra conservative old white people under influence of multiple medications, I'd absolutely consider a situation where I didn't have to deal with cleaning gutters or driving. I'd enjoy access to activities that aren't limited to "sensory play time" at the public library or "Oops I Arted" at the local art center. (Yes, that last one is a real thing.) Can't say I'd ever miss the piercing tones of the neighbor's kids hitting G7 or C8 notes at 6AM. And, yeah, while I think it's everyone's obligation to contribute to the next generation's education, I also entertain the idea that people who have kids should pay a little more toward school taxes than people who don't.
One problem with the book is that Blechman makes it sound like moving to these age-restricted areas is the norm. It's not. The majority of seniors don't live in these communities: they simply can't afford it. While he touches on the demographics of age-segregated villages as being overwhelmingly white, conservative, and affluent, he gives the impression that "all seniors do it." Dude, the whole concept of retirement isn't even in the cards for a growing number of Boomers or Tweeners. Some of us will work until we drop dead because that's our only option. That whole Happy Golden Years dream is little more than a marketing campaign aimed at the affluent. So, yes, The Villages may be the fastest growing "city" in the US, but it's still only 157,000 people out of a senior population of something like 80 million people over 55. Age-segregated communities are definitely a trend, but they are not the norm.
Also not the norm is the idyllic (his term) neighborhood that Blechman lives in, the idyllic "it takes a village" that he seems to imagine all neighborhoods are when not being shorted by those selfish seniors who don't want those pesky kids on their lawn. From his description, Blechman lives in the Mayberry of Massachusetts where all ages gather for lemonade and BBQs, couples stroll into town for dinner while waving to everyone they know, and Little League or Scouts never lack for volunteers. It's Lake Woebegone with LLBean furnishings.
I looked up the demographics for the town where Blachman lives. It's got fewer than 6000 people, a median household income of over $103,000, and it is 95% white. Except for age diversity, it's as homgenous as the communities he's ranting about.
Pot, meet kettle.
This book is both dated and kind of a hot mess. That doesn't mean it's not worth reading. As a history of age-restricted and age-segregated (aka "retirement") communities in the US, it's pretty good.
The author traces the history of Sun City, AZ and The Villages in Florida. He does a far better job covering Sun City, in my opinion, maybe because he was dealing more with documented facts and less with his alcohol-laden experience visiting The Villages for a month. (I'm not implying anything he doesn't say himself. He basically spent every evening drinking at the local watering hole under guise of "research.") Blechman covers some interesting topics about these large age-restricted havens that most of us probably don't think of at all: tax base issues, restricted land use, corporations exploiting loopholes to circumvent governing bodies, how a homogeneous non-native population can skew politics, etc. I didn't agree with everything he presented, but I was willing to consider his arguments.
Blechman frames the book around his experience of having a neighbor who decided to move to one of these communities and what he (the author) sees as their sudden cult-like devotion to The Villages. And while I agree with him that The Villages comes off as fairly creepy and plastic, and they have definitely screwed up the environment and the political process in Sumter, Lake and Marion counties, I've also spent enough time in Florida to believe that "creepy, plastic, and screwed up" is an accurate description of the entire state. Full disclosure: I hated every minute I've ever spent in Florida, so much so that I once asked to be fired rather than have to go there anymore. I hated it as a child. I hated it as an adult. I've been to all parts of the state and detest them all about equally. I freely admit my bias.
Where Blechman loses me is that he takes his neighbor's defection from the frozen Northeast to PlasticLand so very personally. He comes off as incredulous and a little outraged that someone might want to be around people they have more in common with than a property line or that someone might want to not have to worry about driving, yard work, and the noise from other people's kids (or those kids' parents.) Just prior to starting this book, Blechman's wife had their first child. Like most parents who planned for kids (or at least wanted them), he is deep into that parental delusion where the parent is convinced that not only is his child the greatest thing that ever happened to him, but said child is the greatest thing to ever happen to the planet; therefore, everyone has a civic and moral duty to be equally enthralled and obsessed with children (especially his). While it's great parents feel that way -- mostly because it's the incentive they need to get through mountains of diapers, toddler tantrums, and teen angst -- it really is unreasonable to expect everyone to be as enamored with little Oliver or Madison as you are.
Blechman tries to make an argument that age-segregated communities are a violation of civil rights for people with children. IMO, that's just a big pile of hyperbole. It's not like people with children are forced into slums or have limited options of places they can live. The number of traditional communities far outnumbers age-restricted ones. Blechman also tries to pin the unraveling of the "traditional community" on people who don't want to be mentors for the younger generations. While some of that might be true, there are definitely bigger factors to the decline of neighborhoods other than grandmas refusing to be the de facto free babysitter or preferring to spend her final years in a place where she can talk to other adults that don't have their faces glued to a cell phone. (Although that's becoming the norm for seniors, too.)
Hey, as someone who is childless by choice, I get where Grandma Grumpy is coming from. At every job I've ever had, people with kids tried to shovel their work off on childless coworkers so they can attend little Emma's pre-k graduation ceremony -- which shouldn't even be a thing -- or Noah's toddler league soccer practice with some version of "I KNOW you don't mind covering for me because I HAVE KIDS. The "whereas you have NOTHING GOING ON" is often implied, but sometimes said out loud. Uh, think again. (Ever notice these people never, ever offer anything in return for this forced favor?)
While I have zero interest in golf or living in a cookie cutter maze with a bunch of ultra conservative old white people under influence of multiple medications, I'd absolutely consider a situation where I didn't have to deal with cleaning gutters or driving. I'd enjoy access to activities that aren't limited to "sensory play time" at the public library or "Oops I Arted" at the local art center. (Yes, that last one is a real thing.) Can't say I'd ever miss the piercing tones of the neighbor's kids hitting G7 or C8 notes at 6AM. And, yeah, while I think it's everyone's obligation to contribute to the next generation's education, I also entertain the idea that people who have kids should pay a little more toward school taxes than people who don't.
One problem with the book is that Blechman makes it sound like moving to these age-restricted areas is the norm. It's not. The majority of seniors don't live in these communities: they simply can't afford it. While he touches on the demographics of age-segregated villages as being overwhelmingly white, conservative, and affluent, he gives the impression that "all seniors do it." Dude, the whole concept of retirement isn't even in the cards for a growing number of Boomers or Tweeners. Some of us will work until we drop dead because that's our only option. That whole Happy Golden Years dream is little more than a marketing campaign aimed at the affluent. So, yes, The Villages may be the fastest growing "city" in the US, but it's still only 157,000 people out of a senior population of something like 80 million people over 55. Age-segregated communities are definitely a trend, but they are not the norm.
Also not the norm is the idyllic (his term) neighborhood that Blechman lives in, the idyllic "it takes a village" that he seems to imagine all neighborhoods are when not being shorted by those selfish seniors who don't want those pesky kids on their lawn. From his description, Blechman lives in the Mayberry of Massachusetts where all ages gather for lemonade and BBQs, couples stroll into town for dinner while waving to everyone they know, and Little League or Scouts never lack for volunteers. It's Lake Woebegone with LLBean furnishings.
I looked up the demographics for the town where Blachman lives. It's got fewer than 6000 people, a median household income of over $103,000, and it is 95% white. Except for age diversity, it's as homgenous as the communities he's ranting about.
Pot, meet kettle.
July 30, 2020
I’d love to have a chat w Andrew Blechman in 25 years. When he’s exhausted after raising his children, volunteering in his community all while paying exorbitant taxes.
November 11, 2013
I moved to The Villages 9 months ago. In this book Mr. Blechman provided the most accurate explanation I have received on how government and taxes work here. You really have to dig to get this information.
On the other hand he could not be further off as to why people move here and what type of people we are. He also totally missed sharing the efforts of the residents to help the many homeless and poverty level people, especially children, who live around The Villages. And that is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to giving back to our surrounding community. Mr. Blechman also forgot to mention that the developer built The Village Charter School (which has 2900 students this year and is one of Florida top schools) to educated the children of those that work within The Villages. The Villages also has summer camp for a couple of months when the kids come to visit, both to keep the kids active and to provide activities for the kids and their grandparents. I believe most of us like kids and in most cases avoiding kids was the furthest thing from our mind when we moved to The Villages.
I found this statement from a review at Amazon.com and agree with it 110%: As for the developer being a dictator I'll stipulate to his being somewhat of a benevolent dictator but I would be willing to bet that if the people that live here were to be polled as to whether they are happier with the way their elected representative in Washington are running the country or their non-elected benevolent dictator is running The Villages our benevolent dictator would win hands down.
I believe Mr. Blechman's choice of individuals featured in his book speaks of his character. And really, peeing out behind a recreation center rather than using the bathroom? Grow up Mr. Blechman!
With all of this said, I realize The Villages is not a perfect community. But then is there such a thing?
On the other hand he could not be further off as to why people move here and what type of people we are. He also totally missed sharing the efforts of the residents to help the many homeless and poverty level people, especially children, who live around The Villages. And that is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to giving back to our surrounding community. Mr. Blechman also forgot to mention that the developer built The Village Charter School (which has 2900 students this year and is one of Florida top schools) to educated the children of those that work within The Villages. The Villages also has summer camp for a couple of months when the kids come to visit, both to keep the kids active and to provide activities for the kids and their grandparents. I believe most of us like kids and in most cases avoiding kids was the furthest thing from our mind when we moved to The Villages.
I found this statement from a review at Amazon.com and agree with it 110%: As for the developer being a dictator I'll stipulate to his being somewhat of a benevolent dictator but I would be willing to bet that if the people that live here were to be polled as to whether they are happier with the way their elected representative in Washington are running the country or their non-elected benevolent dictator is running The Villages our benevolent dictator would win hands down.
I believe Mr. Blechman's choice of individuals featured in his book speaks of his character. And really, peeing out behind a recreation center rather than using the bathroom? Grow up Mr. Blechman!
With all of this said, I realize The Villages is not a perfect community. But then is there such a thing?
March 13, 2020
Andrew Blechman’s Leisureville: Adventures in a World Without Children was first published in 2009 — long before the presidency of Donald J. Trump was ever dreamed of. But the book was prescient in ways that I don’t think Blechman himself realized at the time.
What Blechman chronicles is the increasing tendency of the well-to-do to push off community obligations that were honored for themselves. People whose children benefited from good public schools, well-funded libraries, pensions, free college and a social safety net repeatedly say, “I’ve paid enough taxes!” and want to deny new generations the same. Blechman writes about the growth of retirement communities in which 50-, 60- and 70-somethings want to play golf, drink and (remarkably) have casual sex while ignoring the greater world. What he’s really exposing is a generational war in which those who benefited from the New Deal, government spending and the G.I. Bill now want to starve the generations that come after to keep their taxes low enough that they can live in luxury. I was appalled at the indifference and lack of empathy.
And won’t those chickens come home to roost when the ensuing generations increase enough in numbers to treat Social Security the way these oldsters did education funding? When you live in a bubble — built by local newspapers owned by the retirement community’s developer and constant prattling from Fox News — these questions don’t get raised. Read Leisureville for its eye-opening window into the Sun Cities and The Villages of this world, but, even more importantly, as an insight into class warfare.
What Blechman chronicles is the increasing tendency of the well-to-do to push off community obligations that were honored for themselves. People whose children benefited from good public schools, well-funded libraries, pensions, free college and a social safety net repeatedly say, “I’ve paid enough taxes!” and want to deny new generations the same. Blechman writes about the growth of retirement communities in which 50-, 60- and 70-somethings want to play golf, drink and (remarkably) have casual sex while ignoring the greater world. What he’s really exposing is a generational war in which those who benefited from the New Deal, government spending and the G.I. Bill now want to starve the generations that come after to keep their taxes low enough that they can live in luxury. I was appalled at the indifference and lack of empathy.
And won’t those chickens come home to roost when the ensuing generations increase enough in numbers to treat Social Security the way these oldsters did education funding? When you live in a bubble — built by local newspapers owned by the retirement community’s developer and constant prattling from Fox News — these questions don’t get raised. Read Leisureville for its eye-opening window into the Sun Cities and The Villages of this world, but, even more importantly, as an insight into class warfare.
April 21, 2009
Once upon a time in a far off land where senior citizens are required to drive like turtles in the passing lane and early bird specials begin at 3:30 in the afternoon, a mythical kingdom of glossy painted false-fronted shops, inestimable golf courses and cookie-cutter screened-in homes grew out of marshy swamps at a furious rate in order to create a mass market theme park for post war baby boomers riding golf carts in their imminent march towards old age, a whippy little thirty year old author decided to write an expose on this Disneyland for adults. He moved into The Villages for a month (alas, that was the maximum amount of time he was allowed to stay without pulling a Benjamin Button and fast forwarding to sixty) and to his consternation, really found nothing to write about. Yes, he was stunned octogenarians still have copious amounts of sex, and yes, he was horrified that this gated fantasyland was devoid of children, African-Americans, Hispanics and aliens (the ones from outer space, not Mexico); yes, he was tweaked there were restrictions on lawn ornaments, driveway oil spots and access to news from the outside world.
“Leisurville” would have been better as a novel. Certainly some of the geezers he runs into at The Villages deserve their own place in the sun. Instead, what starts out as a breezy little depiction turns into a ponderous diatribe against arcane restrictions, lack of political or social representation, land abuse, water depletion, oligarchy, hegemony, and pervasive marijuana use (rock on you guys).
The Villages is about five miles from my parents house. The first time I went there I kept thinking what the fuck is this place? It’s weird and creepy. It’s ‘The Stepford Wives’ for geriatric golfers. Get me to hell out of here!
I have since mellowed. I agree Seniors should have a livable community of their own if they so want—even if it is gated, relatively exclusive and restricted. And if they don’t want kids around—who cares? If it keeps them driving golf carts and their big ass Cadillac’s out of the passing lane—the better for all of us.
There probably is a dark underbelly to these massive planned communities (they control the newspapers, radio and cable—which really is creepy) but this book hasn’t found it. The section on Sun City in Arizona was actually more interesting because of what has happened to this much older community.
So—in this best of all possible worlds—our parents are joining the flock of migrating snowbirds from the wintery Northeast, ensconcing themselves in a candy-colored acrylic kingdom of indistinguishable domiciles, ceaseless club houses with everlasting fairways, members-only clubs and restaurants (which close at 9 PM) and a hospital without a maternity ward. Never mind this fantasy land has the highest rate of STD’s in the state. Wear it like a badge of honor. Perhaps you deserve what you get. And in this case you are getting the American Dream. Well, some Americans anyway. Remember—there is free music every night in the square. Dance your brains out (what is left of them) and smack those ‘golden years’ in the ass.
“Leisurville” would have been better as a novel. Certainly some of the geezers he runs into at The Villages deserve their own place in the sun. Instead, what starts out as a breezy little depiction turns into a ponderous diatribe against arcane restrictions, lack of political or social representation, land abuse, water depletion, oligarchy, hegemony, and pervasive marijuana use (rock on you guys).
The Villages is about five miles from my parents house. The first time I went there I kept thinking what the fuck is this place? It’s weird and creepy. It’s ‘The Stepford Wives’ for geriatric golfers. Get me to hell out of here!
I have since mellowed. I agree Seniors should have a livable community of their own if they so want—even if it is gated, relatively exclusive and restricted. And if they don’t want kids around—who cares? If it keeps them driving golf carts and their big ass Cadillac’s out of the passing lane—the better for all of us.
There probably is a dark underbelly to these massive planned communities (they control the newspapers, radio and cable—which really is creepy) but this book hasn’t found it. The section on Sun City in Arizona was actually more interesting because of what has happened to this much older community.
So—in this best of all possible worlds—our parents are joining the flock of migrating snowbirds from the wintery Northeast, ensconcing themselves in a candy-colored acrylic kingdom of indistinguishable domiciles, ceaseless club houses with everlasting fairways, members-only clubs and restaurants (which close at 9 PM) and a hospital without a maternity ward. Never mind this fantasy land has the highest rate of STD’s in the state. Wear it like a badge of honor. Perhaps you deserve what you get. And in this case you are getting the American Dream. Well, some Americans anyway. Remember—there is free music every night in the square. Dance your brains out (what is left of them) and smack those ‘golden years’ in the ass.
August 26, 2011
I don’t know what prompted me to pick up “Leisureville” by Andrew D. Blechman. I’m far away from retirement (assuming I will even be able to retire). Even so, there has always been something about these Stepford-like developments that has fascinated, and scared, me.
I tore through it in one afternoon. As a piece of literary journalism, it shines: there were places where I laughed out loud (such as when the author tries to make contact with closeted lesbians in The Villages), but a lot of the book was truly frightening.
“Leisureville” shone a spotlight on why I, and many others like me, find these planned, gated, age-discriminating “communities” so disturbing. It’s not because a bunch of grandmas and grandpas are having so much fun (and, apparently, unprotected sex); I truly respect my elders and want them to enjoy their lives as much as they can.
The problems with these developments are twofold: first, their unsustainability (environmentally and socially), and second, their fundamentally undemocratic, tyrannical structure.
Want to read the rest of my review? Check out my blog: http://scryberwitch.wordpress.com/200...
I tore through it in one afternoon. As a piece of literary journalism, it shines: there were places where I laughed out loud (such as when the author tries to make contact with closeted lesbians in The Villages), but a lot of the book was truly frightening.
“Leisureville” shone a spotlight on why I, and many others like me, find these planned, gated, age-discriminating “communities” so disturbing. It’s not because a bunch of grandmas and grandpas are having so much fun (and, apparently, unprotected sex); I truly respect my elders and want them to enjoy their lives as much as they can.
The problems with these developments are twofold: first, their unsustainability (environmentally and socially), and second, their fundamentally undemocratic, tyrannical structure.
Want to read the rest of my review? Check out my blog: http://scryberwitch.wordpress.com/200...
March 10, 2010
I just returned a couple of weeks ago from the Villages. It was my first visit there. I visited my sister and her husband in their new retirement home...I have to say, that I was impressed with how beautiful, and nearly "perfect" everything was.... but somehow, my wife and I felt a little uneasy with the place. I couldn't quite put my finger on what seemed wrong. My sister was almost evangelical in her zeal about the Villages, and thought that I should want what she has.....
I found and read Blechmans book, and it has helped me to understand some of the sociological issues that the whole age segregated age communities bring up.
after thinking about the many issues that the author brought up, including tax issues, governance, the effects of that removing seniors from our communities, I find I am pretty uncomfortable with the whole concept. Children can be a little bit annoying, but I dont want to live in a child free world.
I don't know the answer to this... I live in the northeast, and the small town that I live in has a pretty pitiful senior center, compared to the amenities that the Villages offers.
I wont be retiring in the Villages...
I found and read Blechmans book, and it has helped me to understand some of the sociological issues that the whole age segregated age communities bring up.
after thinking about the many issues that the author brought up, including tax issues, governance, the effects of that removing seniors from our communities, I find I am pretty uncomfortable with the whole concept. Children can be a little bit annoying, but I dont want to live in a child free world.
I don't know the answer to this... I live in the northeast, and the small town that I live in has a pretty pitiful senior center, compared to the amenities that the Villages offers.
I wont be retiring in the Villages...
August 2, 2009
Misses a good opportunity to explore the subject from a more scholarly approach by throwing in entertaining but pointless stories of wacky old people. Also, as should be evident by the sub-title, the author makes a huge assumption that a world without children is the most undesirable world imaginable. I'm sure His kid is smarter/cuter/funnier/more amazing than any child I have ever met, so I will let that slide. Oh, if only I had children then perhaps my life wouldn't feel so empty. I'm going to go cry now.
May 26, 2010
The Bingo game is held in one of the larger rooms at the recreation center. The parking lot is filled with cars and golf carts. Inside, nobody shows the slightest interest in helping me find a seat. Bingo, I learn, attracts a tough crowd. Social niceties quickly give way to acerbic moodiness as soon as the bingo balls start bouncing...
With a slow, soft target like this one, I had the impression that Leisureville would prove to be what is today called a 'hit piece', formerly known as a hatchet job.
But it's not-- Blechman has turned in a solid, thoughtful analysis of the Theme-Parking of advanced age in America, carefully investigating what it is and what it isn't.
What it is : Florida has rules that originated with Walt Disney’s first themepark deal in the early sixties --- wherein if you, as developer, can promise a certain primary investment, and then provide a yearly taxbase to the state, they'll be happy to waive virtually every kind of control, regulation and, importantly, waive-by-proxy the rights of the future citizenry to vote for their own representation.... Kind of like the fairly absolute powers you would expect if you owned your own Medieval Fiefdom in the middle of underdeveloped central Florida....
So you have these smiley, doddering elders spinning around "The Village” in their golfcarts, reading only the company’s newspaper, watching the company's cable tv, and living in a preplanned theme-community done by themepark designers who did Universal Citywalk. (ridiculous lighthouse on a manmade lake, faux 'legends' and 'heritage' all manufactured, fake plaques piously commemorating fake “history” and a relaxing muzak soundsystem that is built into all the town lamp-posts, buildings & landscaping....) And : allowing by agreement that any future civil adjustments or evolution will be handled by unelected representatives who are the employees of the development company....
Author Blechman manages to keep a straight-enough outlook on all this, doing a kind of limited-participation journalism tour of the whole bizarre concept. One striking discovery is that with advances in health & medicine, we could easily see people "villaging" away the last third of their lives in these fabricated Ye Olde Eldervilles, attending their golf, pottery classes & continuing-education courses right into oblivion ... And as it all unravels, the book lays down the truth : like any kind of imposed discrimination, age segregation is shot full of civil injustice and impossible sanctimony.
Also pointed out is that just at a point when elders could turn to volunteering and mentoring in the communities that nurtured their own development -- the Leisurevilles tempt them to cut all ties with their past, their origins, their neighbors & peers -- and enter a gated community with nearly zero contact with the outside world.
Nicely done book, sets up the foundation for age segregation, and then knocks it down. It's well enough balanced that even though the reader has his own sense of the verdict, it comes as a shock when, toward the end, Blechman delivers the judgement, "there's something rotten at the heart of these leisurevilles..."
I have to say I best liked the short intervals where the old salty backwoods Florida comes through ....
" ... I returned from Bushnell along a sun-bleached, cracked two-lane county highway that goes through gorgeous rolling pastureland with broad vistas. I admire the shady stands of old live oaks in the meadows, and an occasional glistening lily pond. This is the Florida of piney woods, saw palmetto scrub, and sun-dappled hummock ..."
There's nothing endearing, really, about swamp, forest thicket and slave-shack, but -- compared to the elaborately faked Americana of "The Villages" ... well, at least it's for real.
October 23, 2016
[Not sure what is more entertaining, reading this book or reading all of the reviews on Goodreads ;-)]
This book makes me feel about living in a retirement community the way David Foster Wallace's essay A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again: Essays and Arguments made me feel about going on a cruise.
So many angles here and this book is by turns frightening and entertaining. I'm not going to deduct stars for the lack of scholastic rigor or for any perceived author bias or for any of the myriad criticisms that could be leveled. I plowed through it quickly and enjoyed it immensely. And thank Blechman for his public service. Now off to read Damn Near Dead: An Anthology of Geezer Noir and Damn Near Dead 2: Live Noir or Die Trying.
This book makes me feel about living in a retirement community the way David Foster Wallace's essay A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again: Essays and Arguments made me feel about going on a cruise.
So many angles here and this book is by turns frightening and entertaining. I'm not going to deduct stars for the lack of scholastic rigor or for any perceived author bias or for any of the myriad criticisms that could be leveled. I plowed through it quickly and enjoyed it immensely. And thank Blechman for his public service. Now off to read Damn Near Dead: An Anthology of Geezer Noir and Damn Near Dead 2: Live Noir or Die Trying.
December 31, 2008
Fairly readable diatribe against age-segregated retirement communities, centering mostly on The Villages, a huge complex in Florida. The author is front-and-center in the proceedings as he tags along with seniors -- drag racing a rental golf cart, going out drinking every night, etc. The book seemed proximally motivated by his neighbors moving to The Villages, but he also acknolwedges near the end that his parents have moved to an age-segregated place in New York.
There's a good point about problems associated with having one whole generation disengage from society (we don't have kids in school anymore, so we don't want our property taxes going to pay for schools and don't want to deal with the chaos and noise of young people), surrounded by a fairly repetitive exposition of the author's tastes and opinions. Reading up on current events and participating in local politics yay, playing golf and old guys taking viagra and playing the field boo. A little of this first-hand reporting goes a long way.
Coincidence I'm not sure what to make of -- I had just settled on "contemptuous" as a descriptor for the author's reaction to many of the people he meets in The Villages when I got to a passage in which he uses the word "contemptuous" mistakenly, when from context it's clear he wanted "contentious".
There's a good point about problems associated with having one whole generation disengage from society (we don't have kids in school anymore, so we don't want our property taxes going to pay for schools and don't want to deal with the chaos and noise of young people), surrounded by a fairly repetitive exposition of the author's tastes and opinions. Reading up on current events and participating in local politics yay, playing golf and old guys taking viagra and playing the field boo. A little of this first-hand reporting goes a long way.
Coincidence I'm not sure what to make of -- I had just settled on "contemptuous" as a descriptor for the author's reaction to many of the people he meets in The Villages when I got to a passage in which he uses the word "contemptuous" mistakenly, when from context it's clear he wanted "contentious".
June 6, 2016
When Andrew Blechman's neighbors suddenly pack up and move from a quaint New England village to a gated retirement community in Florida, he's startled and dismayed. He also realizes that his small community is losing a couple that was actively involved in civic life. When Blechman receives an invitation to spend a month in the Villages, he leaps at the chance to see what attracted his former neighbors to Florida. That visit results in a book that explores the phenomenon of gated retirement communities, primarily in Florida and Arizona, that appear ideal on the surface. As the author's research exposes the not-so-good underbelly of this social trend, he makes some startlingly conclusions. This books provides some interesting insights into this demographic's mindset.
October 11, 2021
I’m giving this 3.5 stars because it was hilarious in places & sometimes fun to read. Good history of over-55 communities. But the author is terribly biased, doesn’t have a clue about what it’s like to get old, & at times has an overbearing writing style. His plea that we active adults “reengage” intergenerationally ignores the fact that some of us choose not to live among children and have financial considerations that prohibit us from living in high-tax areas. And, yes, we want as much fun and amenities as our dollars will buy us. I think he also sensationalizes the residence of The Villages. I am sure the majority are not in the bars every night looking to get laid.
March 5, 2021
I live near the Villages. I think that the author did a disservice only focusing on the age restrictions. THere is so many more issues. I wonder if the author will consider an updated book.
September 3, 2022
An interesting, if not fairly biased (against) history of over 55 housing boom. Funny in some parts, but again a bit biased. A few good points raised, (such as the failure of America to focus on the future), but overall lacking in any real worth.
August 14, 2018
I had to read this book because my mom lives there now. I hear this from everyone who knows someone who moved there. They go down to visit and next thing you know they are selling their house and moving there. This exact thing happened with my mom. Her and her husband went to visit someone who lived there in September, they come back and she tells me they are having a house built and moving down. I'm like WHAT?! And true to their word, they moved down in Dec (yeah, houses go up FAST down there)...They kept their house in MD and came back every couple of months for a quick visit. I HAD to go visit and find out what the whole fuss was about that took my mom away from me. So I went down to visit in Jan. And I was also enthralled by the place. Everything that the people in the book say about this place that live there is true. I was like "I can move here when I turn 55!" But the book is VERY interesting when talking about the builders, founder and politics that happen down there. I don't think my mom is fully aware of all of this "behind the scenes" so to speak. And interesting that the Villages newspaper keeps all bad news out and only focuses on fun stuff and candidates (who are friends with the founder) who are running for office. The Villages is VERY republican, though there's a nice size of Democrats who live there as well. Next time I'm down there I'm going to have to pay more attention to the newspaper they get and see if there's anything negative in there. Anyway, I think this is a good book to read if your parents upped and moved down there suddenly. I mean, it is a really fun place to go and I love visiting there. It is like the outside world doesn't exist and you're there to party all the time. I'll have to ask my mom if she's ever been to the after party bar that people go to after Katie Belles closes down. The author talks about hanging out there and talking to people about his book and interviewing them. Man, they are drinkers down there, me included when I'm visiting lol. One interesting fact the author points out that I myself did when I visited is how white The Villages is. Interesting.
In the book only 2 Town Squares had been built and they were talking about a third one and wasn't sure if it was going to be built because of money, zoning, etc. Well it's been built and my mom lives near it. The book talks about how much more can they build before the debt that the people in The Villages end up having to pay off gets out of control. I don't think anyone who lives there understands how much of the cost is put on them after everything is built. The houses are really affordable (but the author points out cheaply made because they go up so fast) and there is a monthly fee like an HOA they have to pay for the golf courses, pools and amenities etc. But I guess at that point in your life you don't care and just want to enjoy your retirement. After reading about the founder and how shady things are down there it did make me pause about wanting to move down there when I get older. Who knows, by that time the guy will be dead and a lot of new people will be "running" the place behind the scenes and their perspective might change and not be so controlling over everything. But I will definitely give my mom this book to read. I think she will find it interesting and informative.
The author is against the whole age segregated communities. He doesn't believe it can be maintained in the long run because you need people of all ages in a community for it to flourish. The Villages have been able to get out of paying for taxes for schools since schools aren't allowed within The Villages. I mean no one under the age of 55 can live there. If you are under 55, you can only visit for 30 days out of the year. They are very strict about that. The author visited AZ where Sun City is and that place is very different then The Villages. It's interesting to see how Sun City came first and isn't able to maintain the same type of community that The Villages have been able to.
In the book only 2 Town Squares had been built and they were talking about a third one and wasn't sure if it was going to be built because of money, zoning, etc. Well it's been built and my mom lives near it. The book talks about how much more can they build before the debt that the people in The Villages end up having to pay off gets out of control. I don't think anyone who lives there understands how much of the cost is put on them after everything is built. The houses are really affordable (but the author points out cheaply made because they go up so fast) and there is a monthly fee like an HOA they have to pay for the golf courses, pools and amenities etc. But I guess at that point in your life you don't care and just want to enjoy your retirement. After reading about the founder and how shady things are down there it did make me pause about wanting to move down there when I get older. Who knows, by that time the guy will be dead and a lot of new people will be "running" the place behind the scenes and their perspective might change and not be so controlling over everything. But I will definitely give my mom this book to read. I think she will find it interesting and informative.
The author is against the whole age segregated communities. He doesn't believe it can be maintained in the long run because you need people of all ages in a community for it to flourish. The Villages have been able to get out of paying for taxes for schools since schools aren't allowed within The Villages. I mean no one under the age of 55 can live there. If you are under 55, you can only visit for 30 days out of the year. They are very strict about that. The author visited AZ where Sun City is and that place is very different then The Villages. It's interesting to see how Sun City came first and isn't able to maintain the same type of community that The Villages have been able to.
June 25, 2021
Leisureville was written about retirement communities, focusing on The Villages, a place that I have visited. That part was very entertaining, but there was also a lot about the effect that The Villages and similar age-focused/segregated communities have on our society at large. It gave me a lot to think about and in my opinion, would be beneficial for anyone thinking about moving to any sort of retirement community.
To be fair, this book was published in 2008 and I have no idea what the current situation is as far as land use, local governing, water use, diversity, and many other issues.
The author, being a young father, was very focused on the fact that children were not allowed to be permanent residents of many of these places. That ties in with the advantage to retirees of minimizing support for public schools resulting in lower property taxes. Which goes to the broader question of how much support do generations owe each other? Is it fair for people to stop supporting public education when their own children are done with school? Lots to think about.
Hopefully these random thoughts will inspire someone to read this book. The author expresses himself much better than I do.
To be fair, this book was published in 2008 and I have no idea what the current situation is as far as land use, local governing, water use, diversity, and many other issues.
The author, being a young father, was very focused on the fact that children were not allowed to be permanent residents of many of these places. That ties in with the advantage to retirees of minimizing support for public schools resulting in lower property taxes. Which goes to the broader question of how much support do generations owe each other? Is it fair for people to stop supporting public education when their own children are done with school? Lots to think about.
Hopefully these random thoughts will inspire someone to read this book. The author expresses himself much better than I do.
December 2, 2010
I picked this up because I will be visiting The Villages in a few weeks. And wouldn't you know, the Heart of Darkness is in central Florida. And the price of admission is steep.
This book is well-written and well-organized, and generally does an admirable job of tempering its critiques of this and other geritopias with empathy for and insight into what in the world would spur folks to move there in the first place. The author is a new father, which undoubtedly goes a long way toward his taking these seniors' decision to secede personally, which is understandable. But I tell you--after living on top of neighbors with a pool, and spending the summer as a captive audience to a screaming horde (a public pool's worth) of Linda Blair impersonators masquerading as children, I am positively overflowing with sympathy for people inclined to put a gate (or several) between themselves and other people's little darlings, many of whom their parents evidently can't be bothered to raise. And likening this preference to racial segregation doesn't really gel for me, although, as he points out, residential restrictions on families with children have been used to carry out racist agendas.
I should point out that I read Ayn Rand at an early age, that I have the maternal instincts of a wolverine, and that the last couple of years have been a new frontier of alienation in what has been my highly disaffected existence. Which is to say, I'm glad I came across this right now. It serves as a cautionary tale of what a low threshold for life's annoyances can spawn (super-corrupt geritopias wherein the likes of Bret Michaels in about ten years run amok!). It was also weirdly cathartic (if discouraging) in that it compellingly addressed some of what's at the root of The Great American Disconnect and our increasingly fractured society.
This book's chief strength is its compassion, which shines through in the author's deft rendering of the human frailties he encounters. This makes for several moving moments. Even when he's writing about the absurdities that take place within The Villages--the raunchy shenanigans are priceless--he manages to avoid mean-spiritedness whilst remaining entertaining as hell.
Occasionally Blechman appears to assume an authority he lacks, and that can grate. It's hard to ignore the fact that he's yet to hit middle age, given that his subject is retirement communities. And when he's cautioning The Villages' one transsexual resident about going to Thailand for necessary surgery to complete her transition, all I could think was, "Dude, maybe she knows more about this than you do, you think?" Also, I think "coed" is a stupid, sexist word, and I got sick of the appearance of "buxom" (the classy way to give utterance to one's oglings), but these are quibbles.
In summation: this was a fast, interesting, and engaging read about a subject I hadn't thought about. There's definitely a lot to think about here.
This book is well-written and well-organized, and generally does an admirable job of tempering its critiques of this and other geritopias with empathy for and insight into what in the world would spur folks to move there in the first place. The author is a new father, which undoubtedly goes a long way toward his taking these seniors' decision to secede personally, which is understandable. But I tell you--after living on top of neighbors with a pool, and spending the summer as a captive audience to a screaming horde (a public pool's worth) of Linda Blair impersonators masquerading as children, I am positively overflowing with sympathy for people inclined to put a gate (or several) between themselves and other people's little darlings, many of whom their parents evidently can't be bothered to raise. And likening this preference to racial segregation doesn't really gel for me, although, as he points out, residential restrictions on families with children have been used to carry out racist agendas.
I should point out that I read Ayn Rand at an early age, that I have the maternal instincts of a wolverine, and that the last couple of years have been a new frontier of alienation in what has been my highly disaffected existence. Which is to say, I'm glad I came across this right now. It serves as a cautionary tale of what a low threshold for life's annoyances can spawn (super-corrupt geritopias wherein the likes of Bret Michaels in about ten years run amok!). It was also weirdly cathartic (if discouraging) in that it compellingly addressed some of what's at the root of The Great American Disconnect and our increasingly fractured society.
This book's chief strength is its compassion, which shines through in the author's deft rendering of the human frailties he encounters. This makes for several moving moments. Even when he's writing about the absurdities that take place within The Villages--the raunchy shenanigans are priceless--he manages to avoid mean-spiritedness whilst remaining entertaining as hell.
Occasionally Blechman appears to assume an authority he lacks, and that can grate. It's hard to ignore the fact that he's yet to hit middle age, given that his subject is retirement communities. And when he's cautioning The Villages' one transsexual resident about going to Thailand for necessary surgery to complete her transition, all I could think was, "Dude, maybe she knows more about this than you do, you think?" Also, I think "coed" is a stupid, sexist word, and I got sick of the appearance of "buxom" (the classy way to give utterance to one's oglings), but these are quibbles.
In summation: this was a fast, interesting, and engaging read about a subject I hadn't thought about. There's definitely a lot to think about here.
December 29, 2018
Having just reached the age where I can buy a house in an age-restricted community, I approached “Leisureville” as a way to learn about what they were and what kinds of people populated them. I got that, but by an author who has an ax to grind. As an explanation for what the residents see in these communities, the author provides examples of how these places become community and home. A big part of the benefit of living in such a community appears to be planned activities, with many clubs and sports to choose from (yes, another mention of pickleball), and many recreational facilities, including restaurants and bars. And the author describes most residents of these communities as thriving there, with a few having different experiences and moving back. So for this level of reportage, I got what I was looking for, on a very interesting topic.
I also got what I wasn’t expecting, which was a diatribe against age-specific housing restrictions in the US. I hadn’t thought through the issues that these communities engender, and the author points out many, including limiting school expenditures even for support employees living in the area, reduced parks for the young, limitations on competition in terms of businesses, limitations on community governance, and so on. The author takes a stand strongly against these kinds of developments, and his opinions greatly influence his writing. At times, it seems he chooses to write specific stories in order to ridicule residents and to make his case. While I appreciated the descriptions of the communities and their histories, and I appreciated learning about the issues they cause in the area, the lecturing tone detracted from the message and made me question the validity of the writing. Think of this as a very long op-ed.
I also got what I wasn’t expecting, which was a diatribe against age-specific housing restrictions in the US. I hadn’t thought through the issues that these communities engender, and the author points out many, including limiting school expenditures even for support employees living in the area, reduced parks for the young, limitations on competition in terms of businesses, limitations on community governance, and so on. The author takes a stand strongly against these kinds of developments, and his opinions greatly influence his writing. At times, it seems he chooses to write specific stories in order to ridicule residents and to make his case. While I appreciated the descriptions of the communities and their histories, and I appreciated learning about the issues they cause in the area, the lecturing tone detracted from the message and made me question the validity of the writing. Think of this as a very long op-ed.
March 23, 2015
It is too bad that Bleckman did not spend his time better. Here's my short list of what's wrong:
* Dubious accuracy: I doubt the author was wearing a wire 24/7. So those perky conversations were recollected later with unavoidable loss of accuracy. But they are presented as verbatim truth, leading me to doubt everything else the author presents as true.
* Over focus on the sensational: Blechman spent way too much time spent drinking and fills the book with the unverified adventures of his drinking buddies.
* Lack of focus on bigger questions. Blechman spent one winter month in The Villages. But how many of the people he talked to were snowbirds? How many were year-rounders? How many were over 90? How many in their 60s? In south Florida, where I lived for two years, these groups led dramatically different lives. Blechman seems completely unaware of these distinctions.
* Utter disdain for age-segregated neighborhoods. Yes, there's lots to dislike about age-segregation. But Blechman's blind hatred verges on fanaticism. There may have been interviewees who presented good reasons for choosing to live in The Villages. But Blechman would never have heard them.
* Finally, as others have noted, the proofreader and editor were on vacation. The most egregious error I found was "eneasy" for "uneasy". Did NOBODY run spell-check? And if they can't be bothered to ensure that most basic level of accuracy, why should I trust anything else in the book?
You can skim through this book in a few hours. I am not sure that it's worth even that much of your time.
* Dubious accuracy: I doubt the author was wearing a wire 24/7. So those perky conversations were recollected later with unavoidable loss of accuracy. But they are presented as verbatim truth, leading me to doubt everything else the author presents as true.
* Over focus on the sensational: Blechman spent way too much time spent drinking and fills the book with the unverified adventures of his drinking buddies.
* Lack of focus on bigger questions. Blechman spent one winter month in The Villages. But how many of the people he talked to were snowbirds? How many were year-rounders? How many were over 90? How many in their 60s? In south Florida, where I lived for two years, these groups led dramatically different lives. Blechman seems completely unaware of these distinctions.
* Utter disdain for age-segregated neighborhoods. Yes, there's lots to dislike about age-segregation. But Blechman's blind hatred verges on fanaticism. There may have been interviewees who presented good reasons for choosing to live in The Villages. But Blechman would never have heard them.
* Finally, as others have noted, the proofreader and editor were on vacation. The most egregious error I found was "eneasy" for "uneasy". Did NOBODY run spell-check? And if they can't be bothered to ensure that most basic level of accuracy, why should I trust anything else in the book?
You can skim through this book in a few hours. I am not sure that it's worth even that much of your time.
December 5, 2011
This book takes a look at age segregated retirement communities in the United States, concentrating on the community of over 100,000 at The Villages in central Florida where my in-laws have been considering moving. This senior playground full of activities and golf carts has its downside too. The author gives the history of this housing movement (including Sun City) and the likely trends for the aging baby boomers. While I was interested in learning about The Villages, I found the book dull, poorly written, disorganized, and scattered in its conclusions.
September 3, 2019
I picked up this book after reading about The Villages in Dave Barry's Best. State. Ever.: A Florida Man Defends His Homeland. In fact, Barry mentions this book as the reason why he decided to visit the retirement community. What I found was a history of retirement communities and a somewhat unhealthy obsession with The Villages themselves.
Nevertheless, it was an interesting read.
Nevertheless, it was an interesting read.
October 11, 2012
It was an interesting topic, and well reported in general. However, I really disagreed with the author's smug premise. The sections where he interposed his worldview on other people's legitimate life-choices were wildly irritating and really detracted from what could have been a very interesting book.
October 20, 2014
I read this book while traveling on vacation and really enjoyed it. I liked how Andrew got inside the retirement communities and was opinionated but kind realizing it works for some not others. I enjoyed getting to know the neighbors he was meeting along with him, and was personal;ly interested in the whole idea and who is into it via a sociological viewpoint.
August 25, 2008
Interesting info about what goes on in an adult 55+ community. On one hand it sounds great, on the other downright creepy....not sure if we would be happy in one.
July 2, 2021
The subtitle - Adventures in America's Retirement Utopias -promises either a humanely humorous look at a developing lifestyle phenomenon, ala Dave Barry, or an panorama of the vast communal and utopian societies that have been attempted on American soil, not the least of which is the American political experiment itself, e.g, Brook Farm, Fruitlands, New Harmony, Oneida, The Shakers, et.al.
Unfortunately, neither was delivered.
The author is a Far Left Marxist totalitarian, a BLM supporter, that believes in the techniques of shame and self-righteous puffery to bludgeon the reader into believing his biases are correct. His thesis was made evident in the other subtitle for the book- Adventures in a World Without Children.
He hates seniors who want their last years to be enjoyable. He wants more from them. He wants them to be good Marxist citizens full of sacrifice and obedience.
Mr. Blechman wants old people to pay for his children's education and entertainment. He wants their money for his own social experiments. It is clear that that the public/government school system in the U.S. is corrupt, decadent and anti-American. It fails children of all races and society on every level.
But, how dare oldsters who lived and worked hard enough to have a few years of pleasure take their money and spend it as they see fit. Blechman wants his agenda met. Blechman wants his utopia first. Blechman will accept no alternatives. Blechman wants grannies and grandpops to serve him and those like him, more than they already have.
Moreover, he enjoys it when retirees fail his purity testing. He enjoys it when oldsters look absurd.
The book does well in looking at Youngstown, Sun City and the Villages from a structural POV. How are those societies organized economically and politically. It is for this that I give the book 1.5 stars.
It does acknowledge that every retiree will react to leaving the familiar of the family and the town in which they grew up in different ways- emotionally. That could have been treated with more depth and understanding. Half star, there.
Ultimately, this is a cheat of a book, insofar that it is not objective.
It starts with a hatred of oldsters that are for themselves and their demographic.
On point, Blechman's book on Pigeons, which I also read, seems like he hates pigeons and everyone that has anything to do with pigeons.
I can only come to the conclusion that Blechman is a true anti-bourgeoisie Marxist, a poseur that preaches for the destruction of liberty, while enjoying the fat life of a mid-level author who lacks emotional depth, or a personal avenue to enriching insight.
A missed opportunity of a book. The utopian quest and the oldsters deserve a lot better than this screed.
Unfortunately, neither was delivered.
The author is a Far Left Marxist totalitarian, a BLM supporter, that believes in the techniques of shame and self-righteous puffery to bludgeon the reader into believing his biases are correct. His thesis was made evident in the other subtitle for the book- Adventures in a World Without Children.
He hates seniors who want their last years to be enjoyable. He wants more from them. He wants them to be good Marxist citizens full of sacrifice and obedience.
Mr. Blechman wants old people to pay for his children's education and entertainment. He wants their money for his own social experiments. It is clear that that the public/government school system in the U.S. is corrupt, decadent and anti-American. It fails children of all races and society on every level.
But, how dare oldsters who lived and worked hard enough to have a few years of pleasure take their money and spend it as they see fit. Blechman wants his agenda met. Blechman wants his utopia first. Blechman will accept no alternatives. Blechman wants grannies and grandpops to serve him and those like him, more than they already have.
Moreover, he enjoys it when retirees fail his purity testing. He enjoys it when oldsters look absurd.
The book does well in looking at Youngstown, Sun City and the Villages from a structural POV. How are those societies organized economically and politically. It is for this that I give the book 1.5 stars.
It does acknowledge that every retiree will react to leaving the familiar of the family and the town in which they grew up in different ways- emotionally. That could have been treated with more depth and understanding. Half star, there.
Ultimately, this is a cheat of a book, insofar that it is not objective.
It starts with a hatred of oldsters that are for themselves and their demographic.
On point, Blechman's book on Pigeons, which I also read, seems like he hates pigeons and everyone that has anything to do with pigeons.
I can only come to the conclusion that Blechman is a true anti-bourgeoisie Marxist, a poseur that preaches for the destruction of liberty, while enjoying the fat life of a mid-level author who lacks emotional depth, or a personal avenue to enriching insight.
A missed opportunity of a book. The utopian quest and the oldsters deserve a lot better than this screed.
October 9, 2020
I didn't particularly like the book. Not anything to do with its politics but because of how it was written.
I didn't quite "buy" his version of day to day events. It seemed much too easy for him to latch onto people who made themselves look silly over and over again. If I walked around the Villages with a pad of paper in my hand, would I constantly be pulled aside by people who want to talk "folksy" to me and to admit to the sorts of things they admit to him? Would I just happen to see the reclusive owner of the developments in a glass room in the back of a darkened movie theater when I walked out? I'm not saying he is lying to us, but it all just seems too easy. Maybe, as one reviewer suggests, he truncates people together into composite characters rather than present them all individually, and then perhaps exaggerates just a little or in small ways changes how they talk. I don't know, but it doesn't quite ring true to me,
Another negative to me was that I had the impression the book would be humorous, but it fell short in my opinion. I write novels with a lot of humor in them, so I'd like to think I know it when I see it. But making fun of people, or holding them up for what you assume will be ridicule, is a low form of humor, I think. And when you are making serious points about the political and social aspects of The Villages while also making fun of the residents, it comes off seeming mean and self-serving. I think there are times he makes good points about the shortfalls of how the Villages are built and run, and he allows the other side's arguments a place in the narrative, but I ended up not quite trusting his final judgments, even though - as a hated liberal - I probably agree with a lot of it. Is it science or is it satire? If it is satire, I hope I could do it funnier and less meanly. His other book is apparently about pigeons - I wonder if they are presented in a more 3-dimensional way, or are they just strutting around grinning, pecking at food and drink all day and having sex all night?
The book was worth reading, because somebody was going to write one like it sooner or later, but don't base your home purchase on it, and be sure to stroll over to your spice rack and pour out a few grains of salt and start reading.
I didn't quite "buy" his version of day to day events. It seemed much too easy for him to latch onto people who made themselves look silly over and over again. If I walked around the Villages with a pad of paper in my hand, would I constantly be pulled aside by people who want to talk "folksy" to me and to admit to the sorts of things they admit to him? Would I just happen to see the reclusive owner of the developments in a glass room in the back of a darkened movie theater when I walked out? I'm not saying he is lying to us, but it all just seems too easy. Maybe, as one reviewer suggests, he truncates people together into composite characters rather than present them all individually, and then perhaps exaggerates just a little or in small ways changes how they talk. I don't know, but it doesn't quite ring true to me,
Another negative to me was that I had the impression the book would be humorous, but it fell short in my opinion. I write novels with a lot of humor in them, so I'd like to think I know it when I see it. But making fun of people, or holding them up for what you assume will be ridicule, is a low form of humor, I think. And when you are making serious points about the political and social aspects of The Villages while also making fun of the residents, it comes off seeming mean and self-serving. I think there are times he makes good points about the shortfalls of how the Villages are built and run, and he allows the other side's arguments a place in the narrative, but I ended up not quite trusting his final judgments, even though - as a hated liberal - I probably agree with a lot of it. Is it science or is it satire? If it is satire, I hope I could do it funnier and less meanly. His other book is apparently about pigeons - I wonder if they are presented in a more 3-dimensional way, or are they just strutting around grinning, pecking at food and drink all day and having sex all night?
The book was worth reading, because somebody was going to write one like it sooner or later, but don't base your home purchase on it, and be sure to stroll over to your spice rack and pour out a few grains of salt and start reading.
November 4, 2018
This book starts off promising but (no pun intended) it has not aged well at all, which is a shame because the premise is fascinating, and anticipated the conflict between baby boomers and millennials which we are facing right now. Much of the problem stems from it being written around 2006-07, with merely an afterword mentioning the Global Financial Crisis which followed soon after. This is akin to writing a book on the stock market in 1928, or about airline safety in 2000. With hindsight we can acknowledge that The Villages was a symptom of the housing bubble, while the so call "twilight of the boomers" will most likely never take place, especially with a certain real estate developer briefly mentioned near the end leading half the nation into a demented utopian bubble of their own.
Another major problem for me was the tone. Most of the seniors depicted are caricatures, which is not the worst thing in the world if it's in good faith, but the two LGBTQ characters were written in a way that was borderline insensitive ten years ago and just plain offensive today. The author tries to infiltrate a softball team to talk to a lesbian who does not want to be named for privacy's sake, then has her name blurted out, and the author uses that name anyway. I assume Wendy Marie, who is/was trans, was okay with her portrayal in the book, but Blechman's obsession with her past life, her deadname and especially her bottom surgery, is appalling in a 2018 context. A book written today would not only better address the real-life concerns of queer individuals in a retirement setting, but would also play up the similarities and contrasts between the "chosen family" that was necessitated by years of anti-LGBTQ oppression and the privileged option by white heterosexuals to leave their old lives behind.
Leisureville was the right book at the wrong time, and I can only hope there are other books that better portray both the positive and negative aspects of age segregated retirement living, and how this form of catering to boomers with little regard for others both anticipated and accelerated Trump's America.
Another major problem for me was the tone. Most of the seniors depicted are caricatures, which is not the worst thing in the world if it's in good faith, but the two LGBTQ characters were written in a way that was borderline insensitive ten years ago and just plain offensive today. The author tries to infiltrate a softball team to talk to a lesbian who does not want to be named for privacy's sake, then has her name blurted out, and the author uses that name anyway. I assume Wendy Marie, who is/was trans, was okay with her portrayal in the book, but Blechman's obsession with her past life, her deadname and especially her bottom surgery, is appalling in a 2018 context. A book written today would not only better address the real-life concerns of queer individuals in a retirement setting, but would also play up the similarities and contrasts between the "chosen family" that was necessitated by years of anti-LGBTQ oppression and the privileged option by white heterosexuals to leave their old lives behind.
Leisureville was the right book at the wrong time, and I can only hope there are other books that better portray both the positive and negative aspects of age segregated retirement living, and how this form of catering to boomers with little regard for others both anticipated and accelerated Trump's America.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews