[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-seo-432692-105":59,"doc-detail-432692-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,13,18,23,28,33,38,43,48,51,55],{"id":8,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":10,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":12},1,"Document","Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":14,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":15,"show_sort_weight":16,"slug":17},2,"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":19,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":20,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":22},4,"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":24,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":25,"show_sort_weight":26,"slug":27},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":30,"show_sort_weight":31,"slug":32},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":34,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":35,"show_sort_weight":36,"slug":37},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":39,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":40,"show_sort_weight":41,"slug":42},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":44,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":45,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":47},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":46,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":49,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":50},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":53,"show_sort_weight":52,"slug":54},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":56,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":57,"show_sort_weight":24,"slug":58},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":60,"data":61},"ok",{"site_id":62,"language":63,"slug":64,"title":65,"keywords":66,"description":67,"schema_data":68,"social_meta":123,"head_meta":125,"extra_data":127,"updated_unix":129},105,"en","how-to-fail-a-slumlord-and-other-stories-introduction","HOW TO FAIL - A SLUMLORD - AND OTHER STORIES - Introduction","","A collection of short stories framed as a fictionalized memoir, following Herman Thorbecke’s life and business misadventures across Florida and ten years in Switzerland. Beginning with attempts to make a living in Florida—first through marketing and building beach catamarans, then through failing as landlords—the introduction sets up the personal background and motivations behind the “How to Fail Stories.” It also previews a more successful shift to a daycare center and private school, supported by his wife Lea’s teaching expertise and later writing acknowledgements.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":10,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/story-novel/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/how-to-fail-a-slumlord-and-other-stories-introduction/432692/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/how-to-fail-a-slumlord-and-other-stories-introduction/432692.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"dhado","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-31","2026-09-29",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":52},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"What kind of book is “How to Fail a Slumlord and Other Stories”?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"It is a compilation of short stories presented as a fictionalized memoir. The narrative introduces personal business experiences and transitions across different periods of the author’s life.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"Where does the introduction say the author lived before moving to Florida?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"The introduction states that the author and his wife emigrated from Switzerland to Saint Petersburg, Florida in 1979, after giving up good positions in Switzerland.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"Why does the author describe their early landlord business as unsuccessful?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"The introduction explains that constantly chasing tenants for rent and the resulting strained relationships made it a poor business fit, leading to their failure as landlords.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},432692,1791438198,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":8,"category_name":10,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":52,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":139,"language":140,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":144,"read_time":145},5909893218464,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_085a072bc5b1113ac321206ff7593b45","HOW TO FAILASA SLUMLORD  \nand other stories  \nHerman Thorbecke  \nDigitized by the Internet Archivein 2023 with funding fromKahle/Austin Foundation  \n(e Ba(LarcWho taught+OWT0toargue.H  \n。  \nl  \nS A  \n4  \n5129113   \nMlLORD  \nS  \nAND OTHER STORIES  \nHerman Thorbecke  \nCopyright C2012 Herman Thorbecke  \nAll rights reserved.  \nPublished in the USA by Zephyr Publishing  \nISBN:0615656625  \nISBN-13:978-0615656625  \nThis is a fictionalized memoir.Names,characters and incidents are eitherthe product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously.Anyresemblance to actual persons,other than the author and his immediatefamily,or events is entirely coincidental.  \nAlso by Herman Thorbecke  \nSo Long Europe;Hello South Africa  \nCONTENTS  \nIntroduction  \nBook One:How to Fail as a Slumlord  \n1.A Truly Simple Home…………………………………………1  \n2.Larry the Liar…………………………………………………………6  \n3. Margaret and her Slight Handicap…………………………………11  \n4. Royal Richard………………………………………………………………………21  \n5. Sheldon Continued………………………………………………………35  \n6. Charlotte Bringer of Gifts……………………………………………39  \n7. Bob and Bailer…………………………………………………………………………44  \n8. Mrs. Cane the Veteran……………………………………………  \n49  \n9. Arnold and Iky…………………………………………………………………55  \n10. Kenny the Razor Man………………………………………………………62  \n11.Lea's Boy Glenn……………………………………………………………………69  \n12.Vincent and Mirelle……………………………………………………………75  \n13.Olga and Stan………………………………………………………………………81  \n14. Jean Claude and his Mother………………………………………89  \nBook Two: Back to School  \n1. Captain Marbles Brings on the Best……………………………96  \n2. Lea's Learning Lair…………………………………………………………………102  \n3.Not My Dentist……………………………………………………………………109  \n4.Terrible Twos…………………………………………………………………………………112  \n5.Naked in the Closet…………………………………………………………………115  \n6.Joey and Luiz…………………………………………………………………………119  \n7. Greg Dares Matt………………………………………………………………………123  \n8. Boris……………………………………………………………………………………………………125  \n9. The Lame Teaching the Blind………………………………………129  \n10.Itching………………………………………………………………………………………134  \n11.Lee-Roy Jefferson……………………………………………………………138  \nBook Three:Remains  \n1. When We Were Tenants…………………………………………………143  \n2. Getting Married in London………………………………………149  \n3. Vehicular Miracles…………………………………………………………………153  \n4.Smorgasbord In Denmark…………………………………………158  \n5. Selling Beach Boats to Eskimos………………………………165  \n6.Enterprising Peeter………………………………………………………171  \n7. Stef and Markus…………………………………………………………179  \n8.Divorce by Pets………………………………………………………………………184  \n# INTRODuCTION\n\nLike my first book,So Long Europe,Hello South Africa,thatdealt with the years I spent in South Africa,this is also a volumeof short stories.Most of them are about trying to make a living inFlorida.There are also some tales about my experiences duringten years spent in Switzerland.  \nMy wife Lea and I emigrated from Switzerland to SaintPetersburg,Florida during 1979.We gave up our very goodpositions in that country so that I could follow my passion forsailboats.We became partners in a small emerging company thatbuilt beach catamarans.I took over the position as marketingmanager,and although the catamarans we built were in manyrespects very successful,the\"How to Fail Stories\"should perhapshave started right there.After a couple of years the companyfailed,but I prefer to blame our demise on the poor economy.Initially we sold boats all over the world but during the earlyeighties interest rates went as high as eighteen percent and soonno one was buying pleasure boats.If they were,it was certainlynot from us.  \nWith the little money we salvaged,Lea and I decided tofollow in the footsteps of a friend who did well by acquiring andrenting small real estate properties.And although,for a number ofyears,we made a good living as landlords,it did not take us longto realize that this was not a good business for us.We failedmiserably.Always having to hound people for rent,for the littlemoney they earn each week,is not a good way to make friends.Our tenants hated us,and our family and friends disapproved ofour bas","cbCaidVXKSSeXyxx","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaidVXKSSeXyxx","pdf",9570026,208,"English","# Introduction\n# Book One: How to Fail as a Slumlord\n## A Truly Simple Home\n## Larry the Liar\n## Margaret and her Slight Handicap\n## Royal Richard\n## Sheldon Continued\n## Charlotte Bringer of Gifts\n## Bob and Bailer\n## Mrs. Cane the Veteran\n## Arnold and Iky\n## Kenny the Razor Man\n## Lea's Boy Glenn\n## Vincent and Mirelle\n## Olga and Stan\n## Jean Claude and his Mother\n# Book Two: Back to School\n## Captain Marbles Brings on the Best\n## Lea's Learning Lair\n## Not My Dentist\n## Terrible Twos\n## Naked in the Closet\n## Joey and Luiz\n## Greg Dares Matt\n## Boris\n## The Lame Teaching the Blind\n## Itching\n## Lee-Roy Jefferson\n# Book Three: Remains\n## When We Were Tenants\n## Getting Married in London\n## Vehicular Miracles\n## Smorgasbord In Denmark\n## Selling Beach Boats to Eskimos\n## Enterprising Peeter\n## Stef and Markus\n## Divorce by Pets","[{\"question\":\"What kind of book is “How to Fail a Slumlord and Other Stories”?\",\"answer\":\"It is a compilation of short stories presented as a fictionalized memoir. The narrative introduces personal business experiences and transitions across different periods of the author’s life.\"},{\"question\":\"Where does the introduction say the author lived before moving to Florida?\",\"answer\":\"The introduction states that the author and his wife emigrated from Switzerland to Saint Petersburg, Florida in 1979, after giving up good positions in Switzerland.\"},{\"question\":\"Why does the author describe their early landlord business as unsuccessful?\",\"answer\":\"The introduction explains that constantly chasing tenants for rent and the resulting strained relationships made it a poor business fit, leading to their failure as landlords.\"}]","HOW TO FAIL - A SLUMLORD - AND OTHER STORIES - Introduction | PDF",1790660877,320]