Cole Porter: A Biography (Da Capo Paperback)

Rating:
Summary: This book is a disappointment
Review: Considering this book is by a musician and professor of music, it contains surprisingly few insights into what was unique about Cole Porter's lyrics and music, and does little to set his work within a musical context. From time to time the author embarks on embarrassing little journeys into pop psychology of the 'Was Porter's homosexuality an attempt to find a significant father figure in his life? We may never know.' variety. The quality of the writing is disappointing. At one point Schwartz describes a meeting between Cole Porter and Louis Mayer, the movie mogul. Schwartz describes Mayer as 'literally oozing with charm', or some such. Unfortunately, this is typical of the standard of writing throughout the book.