[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]

Originally Posted by 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.

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]

Originally Posted by 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.

I'm waiting for the movie to come out.

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by DougB

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]

Originally Posted by DougB

I'm waiting for the movie to come out.

Starring Michael Douglas as Mr. midnight!

[manaboutown]

Originally Posted by Wandatime

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]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

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.