Cole Porter: A Biography

I am wondering why they decided to issue an unabridged tape. The book includes long descriptions of dead and forgotten people, many of whom had only obscure connections with Porter. It also includes a plethora of incomprehensible French phrases which I found somewhat obnoxious and believe could easily have been replaced with English equivalents. I imagine the author was trying to set a tone consistent with Porter's lifestyle but I think it was a bad idea. (FYI I am not a total ignoramus when it comes to foreign languages--I am fluent in both German and Spanish, and took Greek in high school.)

Thus far the only information I have found that seems worthy of note is the fact that the lifestyle depicted in the Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers movies might have been lifted directly out of Cole Porter's life. I always thought it was exaggerated.

But for the wonderful words and music that he wrote, I would have absolutely no interest in the man. I am now in the middle of the 4th tape and think it is likely I will return the tapes to the library without finishing the book, without the slightest regret. If I happen to see the book on the library shelf, I might look at it to see whether it is better in print than on tape.


An interesting biography of Cole Porter   June 1, 2000
 11 out of 16 found this review helpful

After finally realizing that many of my favorite songs through the years were written by one man, namely Cole Porter, I searched for a biography and found this one. I had recently finished a biography of Gershwin and thoroughly enjoyed it. Comparing the two men was inevitable. They both composed a tremendous amount of music and were very disciplined when it came to their craft. There the similarity ended. Gershwin was always pushing his limits and developing as a composer. Cole Porter pretty much settled for being a tunesmith- a very clever and witty one, though. Gershwin was always working and learning. Porter was always partying - booze, drugs, and sex. It is amazing that he was able to stand up, nevermind sit down for several hours at the piano everyday to compose, no matter what his activities of the night before. While Gerhswin's life reveals a composer striving for ever increasing greatness, Porter's life is pretty superficial and shallow - consisting of one party after another with the "beautiful people". It was a bit of a shock to see that his life was as shallow and mindless as it was and wouldn't add up to much of anything if it were not for his incredible talent. Wealthy beyond most of our dreams, he seems to have been oblivious and/or indifferent to the Depression and the great World War - my guess is that he probably saw them as little more than pesty distractions from his round of parties. With Gershwin, you admire his talent, his discipline, his striving, his willingness to take musical risks after he had become wealthy. With Cole Porter - well, there is always his talent.


Heard the taped version and liked it   January 24, 2000
 1 out of 2 found this review helpful

What a creative genius Porter was! How one guy could turn out such amazing music is truly amazing. Very interesting biography. Now I want to see the film, night and day, despite the lousy reviews--just to hear the music!


We learn when he wrote "Anything Goes," he meant it.   June 9, 1999
 5 out of 6 found this review helpful

I very much agree with the reviewer from Sicily, but there is much more to this book. There is much F.Scott Fitzgerald, an era long about a time and place many of us have not experienced...It is society, alcohol, party, good friends, drugs, and sex---this time homosexual. It is all fun and games, good times, and famous people. Sometimes, however, it is best not to know the personal life as it may spoil the song, the movie, the performance...but if you rise above this, as I did, here is a very skillfully written book with much information, perhaps too much information, but fascinating nevertheless. I am sorry I never got to see him sing and play in person as he was a very talented man and helpful to many of his friends.


A Top biography   March 16, 1999
 6 out of 7 found this review helpful

I'd managed to drag myself through about a quarter of "Last Train to Memphis" when Peter Guralnick droped yet another superfluous detail about a Memphis DJ (Pete, you already told us twice that Bob Neal did the noon "hillbilly" show) and I just couldn't take it no more. Away went the King and out came the incomparable Cole.

Where Guralnick's bio is dense and chewy, William McBrien's treatment on the serious work of being Cole Porter is a melt-in-your-mouth delight. And not without sustenance. McBrien's business is to give analysis of Porter's lyrics through insights into the man's background, actions and relationships. And then comes a cornucopia of society gossip and backstage anecdotes. The juicy stories are not overdone, in fact I would have liked a few more as well as more pictures.

A nonchalant reference to a love letter to another man is McBrien's introduction of Cole Porter's homosexuality. I thought I missed an earlier more formal reference. From there it is treated no more nor less seriously than his marriage, wealth or manners--a major factor in his life that molded his work. Porter's crippling riding accident is handled in the same fashion-a clear report uncluttered by romance or irony.

"Cole Porter" shows that it is possible to write a critical biography that weighs less than a toddler and is a real pleasure to read.