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Binding: HardcoverDewey Decimal Number: 306.3809759 EAN: 9780871139818 ISBN: 0871139812 Label: Atlantic Monthly Press Manufacturer: Atlantic Monthly Press Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 320 Publication Date: May 13, 2008 Publisher: Atlantic Monthly Press Studio: Atlantic Monthly Press Editorial Review: Product Description: 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. Average Rating:
![]() Rating: - Some Good Points Get Buried Under the Author's BiasAndrew Blechman is of the opinion that those who live in The Villages and other retirement communities are a bunch of selfish, exclusionary, societal drop-outs. He gets upset when his retired neighbors opt out of life in his northern town, which he specifically selected for its charming diversity so that his kids would grow up in a multi-culti paradise, and move to The Villages in Florida. So he decides to go check it out for himself. What he finds there appalls him: promiscuous seniors! drinking ... Read More Rating: - A Must for Anyone Interested in Local GovernmentBlechman raises three issues that are of paramount importance, all of which make it worthwhile reading for anyone -- especially in the Northeast -- who is grappling with generational issues in local government; it should also be of interest to those who are concerned about the long-term physical and resource impact of age-restrictd communities. First, if we do value our seniors, why aren't we doing more on a local level to encourage them to stay in integrated communities? The cost of public ... Read More Rating: - LeisurevilleGreat book. We live in a community on the outskirts of The Villages. We're so glad we decided NOT to buy in the Villages 5 years ago. This book just reiterated what we thought at the time. Was great to read about all the places we're familiar with, but the behind the scenes info was an eye-opener. Those looking to move into a "retirement" community should read this book before making any decisions. Rating: - LeisurevilleThis book is very funny in some parts and very enlightning in others. This tells it like it is and has a history lesson to boot. Rating: - Raining on the parade of Golfer's Utopia! Hilarious!I wasn't sure what to expect when I first picked up this book. However once I started reading I couldn't stop. Blechman's perspective and quirky humor made me laugh out loud. This book is funny and also sad but true. The premise of this book is that a large block our our aging population has opted to spend their remaing years in a high school version of Utopia. If you think spending the rest of your life on a golf course is a good idea, then you will hate this book! But if you care about other people ... Read More |