"Fascinating…. Secession movements are an American instinct, and Blechman sees one afoot in the migration of young, well-off retirees to the land of golf and sunshine…. If you are squeamish at the thought of people over 55 socializing, having sex, drinking, smoking pot, line dancing and saying they are happy with their lives, avert your eyes now…. Blechman disappears down the rabbit hole."
— The New York Times Sunday Book Review |
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"After reading Leisureville, the first thing I have to say is: Listen up."
— The Washington Post |
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| "Blechman plunges into a surreal world of argyle socks, immaculate lawns, heavy drinking, bingo tournaments, and Viagra-fueled promiscuity. It's a fun ride, thanks to Blechman's keen eye for detail and quirky sense of humor."— The Boston Globe |
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| "If you are contemplating retirement or know anyone who is doing so, I urge you to read Leisureville. You will not find a better written, more entertaining or more insightful account of the myriad implications of the segregation of our society by age and income." — Daily Kos |
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"Compulsively readable.... Blechman's greatest strength is his ability not only to make you enjoy reading about the seemingly banal—his first book was about pigeons—but he also makes you think about it. That is one of those clichés that reviewers frequently use, but it doesn't make it any less true."
— Baltimore City Paper |
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| "Mr. Blechman is clearly impassioned about closing the generational divide.... He is a thorough reporter." — The Wall Street Journal |
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| “Part investigative journalism, part humor and part social critique, the book explores the attraction of these communities, what it’s really like behind the gated walls … and what the phenomenon means for America at large. Blechman is no ideologue. He is quick to point out the perceived faults of age-segregated communities, but he’s not blind to their appeal, either." — The AARP Bulletin |
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| “With 78 million boomers hitting retirement age and seniors-only communities recruiting 55-year-olds, Blechman raises the prospect of a significant portion of the population retiring into never-never land.” — Mother Jones |
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| "Blechman's book is an account of the Villages, in Florida, the largest gated retirement development in the world—or, put another way, a giant playpen for people 55 and older ... consisting of 75,000 people who have freed themselves from the obligations of citizenship. [It] makes you wonder ... whether altruism is merely a fragile cultural construct doomed by the infantilizing forces of lifestyle marketing." — The Boston Globe |
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“A sometimes hilarious, sometimes poignant excursion into the sexually active adult lifestyle, filled with four-letter words that don't include AARP.”
— The Miami Herald |
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| "Reading Blechman’s book is intriguing, appalling, but always engaging. His description of The Villages reads like a science fiction novel. Highly recommended.” — Library Journal (starred review) |
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"The author confronts the troubling trend toward isolation and escapism."
— Publishers Weekly |
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| "Blechman reminds the rest of us who truly enjoy our communities and the quirks and joys of living with people of different ages, backgrounds and cultures to acknowledge what we have and to take steps to ensure that our communities are accessible, nurturing and safe for residents of ALL ages and needs. That’s an outcome that takes participation and engagement. Are you up for it?" — New Urban Mom |
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| "Leisureville is one of the best non-fiction books of 2008... did I mention Leisureville is one awesome read?"— Modern Girl Style |
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"Leisureville is not only an entertaining chronicle ... but also a perceptive analysis of the social, economic, and political implications of segregated, privatized living."
— The Boston Globe |
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"Blechman highlights the social pitfalls of communities where people 55 and older have scant civic engagement and interaction with young people."
— Orlando Sentinel |
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| "A sharp take on care- and child-free “Active Adults” communities, where golf carts have replaced the automobile, downtowns are make-believe, the days are filled with sunshine and restrictive covenants enforce conformity." — Kirkus Reviews |
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| “The guiding concern of Blechman’s inquiry is what this age-based phenomenon means for us as a society, and what its moral implications are for the future.... Part exurban exposé, part postmodern Roald Dahl parable, “Leisureville” reads more accurately like a dark Stanley Elkin novel.” — The Jewish Daily Forward |
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“A lively and thoughtful account of a lifestyle that can be at once entertaining and appalling. The book is full of warm, appealing characters. It also has tinges of the sadness and wistfulness that often accompany the later years."
— National Post (Canada) |
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"Simultaneously entertaining and appalling, a mesmerizing read."
— The Barnes and Noble Review |
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| "Read it." — The News-Press, FL |
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| "A great book...." — MetroWest Daily News, MA |
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“Imagine a retirement community larger than Manhattan with its own TV station, newspaper and radio station. Nearly 100,000 people live in "Florida's friendliest Hometown." The Villages has everything except children. The author, Blechman, explores the concept of age segregation in this comic and appalling book.”
— Sand Springs Leader, OK |
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"Sadly enough, the situation laid out by Mr. Blechman will no doubt be played out millions of times in the years to come, as northerners desert their long term communities for a place in the sun. Churches, charities, and community infrastructure will be collateral damage as baby boomers migrate south."
— TopRetirements.com |
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| "This lively book reveals why older Americans are flocking to these geritopias and what happens to our social fabric when they opt to live in gated leisurevilles where no children are allowed." — Tucson Citizen, AZ |
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| "... funny, outrageous and disturbing, sometimes all at once. Is this really what we can expect after retirement?" — Bookstream.com |
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| When I mentioned to my father — a healthy, mentally alert 82-year-old — that I was reviewing a book on life in planned communities for the elderly in the Sun Belt, he said “I’d sooner die.’’ — The Eureka Reporter (CA) |
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| "A must-read for anyone who plans to retire." — Capital Region Magazine (NY) |
