[gfmucci]

Originally Posted by Muncle

And then there is the sex: Mr. Blechman has the misfortune -- at least for readers -- of meeting "Chet," better known in The Villages as "Mr. Midnight." For whatever reason, the author becomes fixated on Chet and fills page after tedious page with his carnal feats.

Mr. Blechman also finds evidence that retirement communities, for all his worries about their inexorable growth, could soon be "dinosaurs," as one marketing expert puts it. In particular, baby boomers may be reluctant to embrace communities like The Villages -- the generation that never wanted to grow up might shun places that would expose them as not-young. And as the developments' populations (typically on fixed incomes) grow older, "age-segregated" communities could end up "de-segregating" in order to attract new residents and to help defray the rising cost of municipal services.

Mr. Blechman isn't the first youngish author to get the idea that living among the (retired) natives might provide interesting fodder for a book. In 2005, Rodney Rothman, a former writer for "Late Show With David Letterman," published "Early Bird," describing his stay -- he was 28 at the time -- in Century Village, a retirement community in Florida. Full of humor and humanity, Mr. Rothman's book captures the sort of place where many of us might choose to live one day. For those who prefer a darker view of sunny retirement, there's always "Leisureville" to make them feel uneasy.

RE the "sex" comment:* Isn't it just like a liberal, Gen X author to have a sex fetish about older Americans.* What an a--.* This is the gratuitous 'tude I'm glad I'm "escaping" from. ;D

Mr. Blechman is worried about what will happen to TV as the occupants die off? ...will become "dinosaurs?"* St. Petersburg, FL didn't have any trouble.* Throughout the '50's, '60's, and '70's, St. Petersburg was the retirement capital of Florida.* I spoke to a Florida planning consultant the other day who explained the great revitalization of St. Petersburg that has occurred over the past decade...it is thriving as never before.* The Villages has at least a decade of boomers who will want to escape to TV before any transition in its composition needs to be considered.* And my guess is that the maturing of TV in terms of landscaping and overall quality will cause TV to continue to be one of the great attractions for retirees across the nation decades beyond that.

And finally, the Wall Street Journal review has it right:* "For those who prefer a darker view of sunny retirement, there's always "Leisureville" [the book] to make them feel uneasy."* There is always someone around to mock a good thing they don't understand.