Finally Read "Leisureville"

[2BNTV]

I finally decided to read "Leisureville" be Andrew Blechman and these are my impressions.
1. Andrew Blechman seems to be a bright man who has young children and his own lifestyle in Massachusettes. However, he seemed to me to come across as slightly more than miffed, that his next door neighbors that he admired, wanted to move to TV. Therefore, he had a built in bias not to like TV, as much as he may protest, that he was objective.
2. I don't think he really did a lot of research into TV as oppossed to other communities that he labels, "age restricted". I found that lumping all communities into one big pile, to be shortsighted. He will never rival Doris Kearns Goodwin, Pulitzer Prize winner for "Team of Rivals, The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln), for doing the research necessary, to get things right.
3. Hanging with Mr Midnight, and a couple of other people didn't give him a proper perspective of how all of the others villagers live their lives. He tends to view TV, as a Sodom and Gomorrah type place. Three stories that are indicative of all villagers, NOT!!!!!
4. Wanting to interview Gary Morse and not getting the chance, as Gary is reclusive, seemed to bend his nose out of shape. He is not a fan of the developer and expounds on chapter 190, and his control of the media. States that only Republicans, can elected in his form of goverment... blah, blah,blah.....
5. Blechman can not see or agree with a community that does have a mix of ages and expounds that is it dicriminatory for anyone over the age of 55, can really do this legally. There are many young people in the villages, as they need to work in retail establishments, Is it a 50/50 mix? NO!!!
6. He faults all the other developments that didn't support schools, and didn't want to pay taxes for that purpose, as their children were grown. I don't know if TV High School was built when he visited but he missed the mark on this issue. He failed to mention that TV residents do a lot of charity work and support all of our grandchildren in their visiting and enjoying TV. He painted other communities that were built in AZ, with mean spirted people and again lumps villagers into the same pile.
7. Being in his 30's or 40"s, he cannot imagine a world without children. On this point, I heartily agree with him.

I found this book filled with vitirole, and was basically mean spirited. Since a friend of mine had a copy, I read it, but would never keep it in my house. I'd rather throw it the garbage, where it belongs.

Makes a good paperweight and or door stop if one is a saver of all books bought.

[OBXNana]

I have to agree with what you said after actually paying for the book and regretting that decision. Some of the information is outdated since it was written. At the point we read the book, we had never been to The Villages and we were attempting to educate ourselves on every aspect. We learned quickly this book was not filled with the information we were looking for, with the exception of explaining the Districts, Bonds, Chapter 190, and other government type information. After reading the book we had better questions for our sales person when we arrived in The Villages for our preview. I would put the book under the steering wheel of the car when I'd sit outside the church to pick our grandson up from pre-school!

This may sound harsh, and for that I will apologize, but we looked at ourselves and around The Villages, and simply couldn't grasp the concept of the people we saw as being anyone featured in the book. We then realized, The Villages is a large town with a population of over 100,000 and logically the Mr. Midnight's will live in every town. Mr. Blechman found the minority of those individuals and based his book.

[eweissenbach]

I have read it twice and found the facts to be interesting regarding age restricted communities, some of the history of TV, Sun City, etc. His opinions are like everyone's, some interesting, some agreeable, some silly, and some simply wrong, but knowing that I still found the book an interesting read. I didn't think it was particularly well written, and I felt that some of his characters were embellished for shock value, but still would recommend it to anyone interested in TV. BTW, I am a big fan of The Villages and did not find it at all offensive, though I am not easily offended.

[Taltarzac725]

I have read it twice and found the facts to be interesting regarding age restricted communities, some of the history of TV, Sun City, etc. His opinions are like everyone's, some interesting, some agreeable, some silly, and some simply wrong, but knowing that I still found the book an interesting read. I didn't think it was particularly well written, and I felt that some of his characters were embellished for shock value, but still would recommend it to anyone interested in TV. BTW, I am a big fan of The Villages and did not find it at all offensive, though I am not easily offended.

I just read the more informative parts of it and skipped the more soap opera like ones as I heard a lot about these from others who had read it who talked about it when it first came out around 2008. Many of the small dog people at Doggie Doo Run Run spoke at length about the racy parts.

My Mom just got it for her July 9 birthday as a gift from my older brother. He may regret that choice of books though. I may take another look at the book when my Mom is done with it if she does not throw it in the toilet.

[Bogie Shooter]

He had his 15 minutes of fame along time ago...........................

[justjim]

Never read the book. I would guess a little money was made and I wouldn't be too surprised if a sequel or "revised" copy comes out in the future.

[Taltarzac725]

Never read the book. I would guess a little money was made and I wouldn't be too surprised if a sequel or "revised" copy comes out in the future.

A few years ago, I did write him an e-mail telling him he should read TOTV to get a better idea of what life in the Villages is like. He was only here two weeks around when King Kong was playing at the Old Mill Playhouse. I saw this movie on 12-14-05 according to my OMP ticket stub. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0360717/

Some others should e-mail him too and try to get him to look at a wider group of people here in the Villages and on TOTV. http://www.andrewblechman.com/

20 minutes before my movie started, I once heard some thumping against the wall when I was sitting in the Aud 1., at Old Mill Playhouse just under the projection camera. I thought, one of the couples among the employees must be romantically involved as that was the kind of thumping I heard. But, it could have been many other things and I have seen a large number of movies at OMP in that auditorium 1 and have never heard that kind of thumping again. Blechman's picture of the Villages is like mine of just that amorous break being representative of every afternoon at the OMP. It's racy and it gets your attention. But, usually this does not occur.

[2BNTV]

Never read the book. I would guess a little money was made and I wouldn't be too surprised if a sequel or "revised" copy comes out in the future.

Maybe he will set his facts to be more of the truth, and not base it on the minority of the people he chose to embellish his story lines.

[Laurie2]

I finally decided to read "Leisureville" be Andrew Blechman and these are my impressions.
1. Andrew Blechman seems to be a bright man who has young children and his own lifestyle in Massachusetts. However, he seemed to me to come across as slightly more than miffed, that his next door neighbors that he admired, wanted to move to TV. Therefore, he had a built in bias not to like TV, as much as he may protest, that he was objective. (above is a partial quote)

- - - - - - -

Yep. He was miffed. I, too, thought his miffdom showed through in his writing.

I figured he had his eye on that neighbor couple as free babysitters. And then they up and moved to The Villages. How dare they. :shocked:

[Wandatime]

I read it when I got interested in TV. Found it mildly interesting, but could sniff his biased viewpoint from a mile away.

[Bogie Shooter]

A few years ago, I did write him an e-mail telling him he should read TOTV to get a better idea of what life in the Villages is like. He was only here two weeks around when King Kong was playing at the Old Mill Playhouse. I saw this movie on 12-14-05 according to my OMP ticket stub. King Kong (2005) - IMDb (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0360717/)

Some others should e-mail him too and try to get him to look at a wider group of people here in the Villages and on TOTV. Andrew D. Blechman - author of LEISUREVILLE and PIGEONS (http://www.andrewblechman.com/)

20 minutes before my movie started, I once heard some thumping against the wall when I was sitting in the Aud 1., at Old Mill Playhouse just under the projection camera. I thought, one of the couples among the employees must be romantically involved as that was the kind of thumping I heard. But, it could have been many other things and I have seen a large number of movies at OMP in that auditorium 1 and have never heard that kind of thumping again. Blechman's picture of the Villages is like mine of just that amorous break being representative of every afternoon at the OMP. It's racy and it gets your attention. But, usually this does not occur.

Could explain in more detail exactly what you mean by "the kind of thumping"? Is it like thunder? a bass drum? how will I know it when I hear it?

[Indydealmaker]

Too many people in The Villages are concerned by anything they perceive as an "Attack" on their lifestyle and their new community. Almost all authors begin from a position of bias. Andy was not writing an impartial news article (as if there is still such a thing).

Andy wrote from a very strong position that perception IS reality. Any and all of the situations in Leisureville can be found in The Villages if you look hard enough.

If you arrive in The Villages looking for nirvana, that is what you are likely to perceive. If you are looking for a bunch of seniors running away from home to finish out their years in an adult Disney atmosphere, that ye shall also find.

No animosity, just perspective.

[Taltarzac725]

Could explain in more detail exactly what you mean by "the kind of thumping"? Is it like thunder? a bass drum? how will I know it when I hear it?

Did you see The Godfather? The wedding scene and the pre-occupied Sonny Corleone? http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0262983/quotes http://youtu.be/mufTJiGlonE

I do not think you would hear this unless the movie has not started yet and you are sitting near the back. Maybe it was someone sorting heavy boxes??? No moaning though like with the clip (PG) linked above.

I have never been in that projection area and do not know if there even is one now the way movie theaters are set up so I could have been something else. Not sure if the private viewing box in the Aud. 1 at OMP even has a wall wear someone in the movie theater would hear any heavy knocks.

[Patty55]

Blechman's first book was "Pigeons", I'm thinking Leisureville sold a few more copies.

[Taltarzac725]

Blechman's first book was "Pigeons", I'm thinking Leisureville sold a few more copies.

I read that cover-to-cover. Pigeons, I mean! http://www.andrewblechman.com/pigeons/index.html

[manaboutown]

Andy obviously had set out to do a number on 55 and over communities. His was anything but an unbiased analysis, about as reliable as the usual analyses of the mainstream media. Sex sells. Thus Kat, Mr. Midnight, Wendy, his wine club and women's softball interviews. He and his publisher were shameless in focusing on a small percentage of the overall Villages population.

An objective and fact based comprehensive history of the evolution of 55 and over communities, including The Villages, can be found in "From Sun Cities to The Villages" by Judith Ann Trolander.

[Wandatime]

Andy obviously had set out to do a number on 55 and over communities. His was anything but an unbiased analysis, about as reliable as the usual analyses of the mainstream media. Sex sells. Thus Kat, Mr. Midnight, Wendy, his wine club and women's softball interviews. He and his publisher were shameless in focusing on a small percentage of the overall Villages population.

An objective and fact based comprehensive history of the evolution of 55 and over communities, including The Villages, can be found in "From Sun Cities to The Villages" by Judith Ann Trolander.

I just looked it up on Amazon and there are no ratings for it. Can you give us yours? Was it an enjoyable read?

[DougB]

I finally decided to read "Leisureville" be Andrew Blechman and these are my impressions.
1. Andrew Blechman seems to be a bright man who has young children and his own lifestyle in Massachusettes. However, he seemed to me to come across as slightly more than miffed, that his next door neighbors that he admired, wanted to move to TV. Therefore, he had a built in bias not to like TV, as much as he may protest, that he was objective.
2. I don't think he really did a lot of research into TV as oppossed to other communities that he labels, "age restricted". I found that lumping all communities into one big pile, to be shortsighted. He will never rival Doris Kearns Goodwin, Pulitzer Prize winner for "Team of Rivals, The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln), for doing the research necessary, to get things right.
3. Hanging with Mr Midnight, and a couple of other people didn't give him a proper perspective of how all of the others villagers live their lives. He tends to view TV, as a Sodom and Gomorrah type place. Three stories that are indicative of all villagers, NOT!!!!!
4. Wanting to interview Gary Morse and not getting the chance, as Gary is reclusive, seemed to bend his nose out of shape. He is not a fan of the developer and expounds on chapter 190, and his control of the media. States that only Republicans, can elected in his form of goverment... blah, blah,blah.....
5. Blechman can not see or agree with a community that does have a mix of ages and expounds that is it dicriminatory for anyone over the age of 55, can really do this legally. There are many young people in the villages, as they need to work in retail establishments, Is it a 50/50 mix? NO!!!
6. He faults all the other developments that didn't support schools, and didn't want to pay taxes for that purpose, as their children were grown. I don't know if TV High School was built when he visited but he missed the mark on this
issue. He failed to mention that TV residents do a lot of charity work and support all of our grandchildren in their visiting and enjoying TV. He painted other communities that were built in AZ, with mean spirted people and again lumps villagers into the same pile.
7. Being in his 30's or 40"s, he cannot imagine a world without children. On this point, I heartily agree with him.

I found this book filled with vitirole, and was basically mean spirited. Since a friend of mine had a copy, I read it, but would never keep it in my house. I'd rather throw it the garbage, where it belongs.

Makes a good paperweight and or door stop if one is a saver of all books bought.

I'm waiting for the movie to come out.

[Taltarzac725]

I'm waiting for the movie to come out.

Me too. Maybe it will have a 224 613 reference. Actually, I have only read the parts that would not make a very good movie. The saucier parts I skipped.

[eweissenbach]

I'm waiting for the movie to come out.

Starring Michael Douglas as Mr. midnight!

[manaboutown]

I just looked it up on Amazon and there are no ratings for it. Can you give us yours? Was it an enjoyable read?

It was both informative and enjoyable. I found a lot of useful information in the book. I am not aware of any other source for learning the history of 55 and over communities.

BTW, the author reveals she almost bought a house in The Villages and dropped her project. lol

[Taltarzac725]

Could explain in more detail exactly what you mean by "the kind of thumping"? Is it like thunder? a bass drum? how will I know it when I hear it?

Believe the movie I was going to see was Noah. Not sure though. It could have been another one I had recently seen in the Old Mill Playhouse in Auditorium 1. I have been seeing a lot of 3D movies at the Old Mill Playhouse and Barnstorm and these are never in Auditorium 1 at the OMP but in 5 or some other 3D equipped theater.

I will bet Andrew Blechman would have liked this story though about the thumping coming from the wall behind him.