Reading Leisureville
 

Steve bought me a Kindle for Christmas so I downloaded Leisureville. What do you think of it? (the book..not the Kindle :))

I think...it has a great deal of truth and a great deal of other stuff to sell the book.

Which it has. I imagine almost all of us have one.

But...I don't think there is a Mr. Midnight.

Or someone would have talked about him on TOTV.

au contraire mon ami there is a Mr. Midnight

C'est vrait???

I have Leisureville on my Nook Tablet and found it very interesting. It has a great deal of information about the history and development of retirement communities in general and TV in particular. The relatively young author is pretty heavy handed in pushing his belief that TV residents have selfishly abandoned their communities, chose to no longer contribute to society and are guilty of age discrimination by refusing children in their midst. If you can get past that, it's a pretty good read. It's a book that I've saved and will probably reread soon.

I read it back in March and enjoyed it. Thought the author took a lot of literary liberties, and probably fabricated some things for entertainment value, but did enjoy the history and much of the narrative. I thought his premise was flawed but glad he wrote the book. Here is the thread I started back in March...
https://www.talkofthevillages.com/fo...ad.php?t=36599

I enjoyed it too.. but one point he made I do not understand at all... he claims people move to TV to avoid supporting schools.. did he even look at a tax bill in tv.. there clearly is a large school tax.
JK

There is something that I can't quite understand. The Morse family had vision, built this wonderful community. According to the book, businesses stayed away initially because they were concerned about not making it in Central Florida, consequently the Morse family started a lot of the businesses or were instrumental in getting them there. Why then is there so much resentment? It seems to me that they epitomize the freedom to succeed that we value so much. I'm not saying that there is resentment on this forum, quite the contrary, but I have sensed it here and especially in the book. I for one am darn glad that they accomplished what they did and can't wait to get my share of the kool-aid!

AMEN to that Trish Crocker!!! It's what's known as the American Dream...what the Morse family did! I heard a local person say that T.V. brought alot to this area as it was so 'depressed' and it gave it a lift to it's economy!!! That being said....I'm glad that the Morse's did what they did and we have the privilege of being a part of it, by living here. I haven't read the book but may sometime---I can't comment on that part til I do!!

Take the book with a grain of salt....actually a LOT of grains of salt!
Still...the history of the Morse family and the whole "adult community" concept was, for me, the most interesting part of the book.
But.
:bigbow: Mr Midnight is my hero.

Could you be the mysterious Mr. Midnight? His ID is secret. He could be any body who lives in the Villages. It could just as well be KayakerNC ...or could it be The Shadow?

Nope, not me. DW would not approve....actually she would be very disapproving. We are talking hospitalization at the very least. :boom:

Only the shadow knows, but goodness he must buy that stuff by the case!

Mr. Midnight was a classic literary typecast. I enjoyed the TV history and was amused by the author's immature resentment of retirement communities, wondering if he would one day grow out of it and live in one.

Not sure if Andrew Beachman (I think is the authors name) would be happy about driving 20 mph. But he may someday become one of us. Year's ago, when my parents moved to retire in Florida, I said "Anybody that lives in a Florida retirement community was either out of their mind or brain dead." Here I am, loving every minute of it. If Mom and Dad could see me know...

I can relate...I remember telling my mom that I would never own a color tv or become part of the 'establishment'...material things meant nothing to me...all this while sitting in her living room watching tv.

The book Vs the neighborhood
 

When we first visited driving into the area I will admit I said "Ruth lets turn around and get outta Dodge."

Lost in the countryside was not the same warm fuzzy feeling as being in the TV developed community. ( Bubble)

Maybe I sound somewhat critical but I was not impressed until I got within
"The Bubble" Meeting people there downtown made us feel welcome and like we could retire here and have fun.

I will admit TOTV has sometimes clouded the original vision. The IRS issue which made the Village Newletter again this month reinforces this.

Yet it has not stopped us from buying visiting and in July moving here.

One of my many new neighbors and now a friend I met on TOTV is sleeping in his moving truck with Cat tonight ready to start his new life tomorrow!

I am glad the Morse fammily has made money and built the communities! I am sure there are locals that resent this construction and the family. Farm land and Pasture land being lost to houses is another whole debate.

I'll let the wife read the book. I don't need any more negativites on a place I feel positive! If that makes any sense?

Leisureville
 

The part in the book that talks about the high rate of STDs in The Villages also made the NY Post, and it is usually the first thing people bring up to me when they hear I live in TV. I have to say, it irritates me. I heard Andrew Blechman, the author, interviewed on Public Radio and he chuckled and admitted that the STD rate is no higher than anywhere else in FL. I read the book and enjoyed it. I think parts of it were right on, but I definately think the author thinks that people who want to live in an adult community are selfish. Once he has raised his kids and gets to "our age" he may understand it.

The Shadow is not Mr. Midnight.

I have not read Leisureville but from what I think I know it was not the Morse family that started the whole thing it was Schwartz and Terrson that stared the whole thing. Harold Schwartz statue is in SS.

Schwartz bought out Terrson so Morse could join the organization. But then I did not read the book.

So, you are saying that YOU are not Mr. Midnight? If you haven't read the book, how can you be sure? Mr. Midnight is a handsome, social person who has quite the way with the ladies....

Many that I have talked to have been pretty sure you are Mr. Midnight, Shadow...The rest thought that Larry Wilson was....

Just sayin'............

I mean, can you prove you're not? Can Larry prove he's not????

Inquiring minds want to know.........

I thought with most closing hours of venues in the Villages being early, Mr Midnite was downgraded to Mr 9PM.

Now that's a small problem,need more places that stay open later ,especially on the weekends.Since i still have my business in Lexington,Sharon is in TV on her own alot.She said there are "Mr Midnite's" all over TV,with the worse pickup lines ever.I read the book before coming to TV,and enjoyed it strictly for the entertainment ,found it quite amusing.:icon_wink:

Reading leisureville
 

I thought the book was very accurate. The liberal author does not believe in putting old people out to pasture and thinks they should be in the community paying high property taxes to the government. The book distinguishes quite clearly the authors opinion of the villages and that of the village residence. He did a good job in voicing the residents love of the Villages. We don't live in a perfect world where families stay together, the Villages may not be the perfect solution for an ageing population but it's better than anything out there now. I found most people who read the book could not handle the truth about the Villages. There are a lot of negatives here, why not address them and do what we can to change them instead of burying our heads in the sand.
I personally don't like the way we are talked down to by the Morse family with the stupid fabricated history. The truth is much more interesting than the fairy tail.
The villages are being overbuilt and the reason we came here may change for the worst. The new residence will just settle for what they get instead of striving for "the Village" type of community that it once was. That is the problem with older residence, they can't look to the future. The Villages is becoming just one big sprawling suburban city with lots of cubs. Big deal!

It was an enjoyable read, but from an academic perspective it was a classic case of an author (not a a social scientist) holding a deep seated belief and then using slipshod research to support his belief and justify his thesis.

Enjoy it for what it was--a quick and entertaining beach/pool read with a smattering of interesting factual information combined with some commercial (remember "sex sells") anecdotal evidence.

Pickup
 

And being a "CarGuy" I thought a Pickup was a Truck,something that hauled!

Guess form the book there is other stuff that picks up and hauls!:evil6:

We were at Red Sauce for our first visit. At the Bar I had one on the left hitting on the wife and two hitting on me on the right!

Weird feeling . Ruth said Herv! That guy had beer Goggles on and the Women must have been desperate!

Kind of interesting that the author spent most of his time at Katie Belle's instead of actually going to the different activities in The Villages.

Personally, I think the author was just jealous that his neighbors could live in The Villages and he could not do so - so he reasons that it is a terrible place since they will not allow under age 55 here.

Mr. Midnight is more than likely a compliation of different people.

Enjoyable reading but a very shallow book with no backbone to it.

I just ordered a copy on Amazon for 5 bucks, shipping included.

Me too.. Gotta see what who Mr. Midnight is ! :laugh:

I read the book and found it entertaining, but apparently overlooked the truth we couldn't handle. Um... what was it?

According to the author his name is Chet, 6 feet and slender, he was 63 when the book was written about 4 years ago, and he is a retired teacher from Illinois.

Is he a Democrat or a Republican. Inquiring minds want to know.

Hmmm... I thought his name was Oldcoach.

Nah - he's Mr. Noon!:sad:

I hope I can get it at the Library.

Is that a quote from Mr. Midnight?

Classic!:1rotfl:

Where IS Swimdawg?????

Mr.Midnight or Mr. Nooner?
 

Was there any Mr. or Mrs. Midnights tonight!

I was amazed on our visits at how quick LSL closes up at 9.00

Once you get into golf, pickleball, bike riding, tennis, and power walking, (Throw in a couple of rounds of bridge, and some pool) swimming pool too,....Then....have a couple of hours of two for ones, you will be hoping that someone rings the bell so you can go to bed and not look like a siss.