Cole Porter: A Biography
In his life and in his music, Cole Porter was the top--the pinnacle of wit and sophistication. From the 1910s through the '50s, from Yale pep rallies through the Broadway triumphs of Anything Goes and Kiss Me, Kate, he delighted audiences with a glittering torrent of song: "I Get a Kick Out of You." "Night and Day," "Love for Sale," and "Just One of Those Things." The bright surface of these gems--their catchy melodies and ingenious lyrics--made them instant pop hits. Their more subtle qualities and their musical and emotional depth have made them lasting standards, among the greatest glories of the American songbook.In Cole Porter, William McBrien has thoroughly captured the creator of these songs, whose life was one not only of wealth and privilege but also of tragedy, secrecy, and courage. A prodigal young man, Porter found his aesthetic and emotional anchor in a long, loving, if sexless marriage, while continuing to maintain many discreet affairs with men. In 1937, at the height of his success, he suffered a near-fatal riding accident; his last eighteen years were marked by pain, drugs, and repeated operations on his legs, years of physical agony but unstinting artistic achievement. Here is the book that Porter's fans have long hoped for--a life that informs the great music and lyrics though illuminating glimpses of the hidden, complicated, private man.
Product description
Review
"The definitive biography of the bon vivant who was the supreme master of sophisticated popular song." --The New York Times Book Review"A fine biography. . . . It brings to our understanding . . . the ways that the contradictions and compulsions of [Porter's] life explain the emotional force and timelessness [of] the music." -- The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Thorough . . . fascinating. . . . Loaded with juicy gossip. [It] succeeds in evoking Porter's white-tie-and-orchids set [and] his active, if closeted, gay life in Manhattan and Hollywood." --People
"Read this book. . . . You will spend time with, and get to know, one of the great creative figures of the twentieth century." --Betty Comden, The New York Observer
From the Back Cover
In his life and in his music, Cole Porter was "the top"--the pinnacle of wit, sophistication, and success. His songs--"I Get a Kick Out of You," "Anything Goes," and hundreds more--were instant pop hits, and their musical and emotional depths have made them lasting standards.William McBrien has captured the creator of these songs, whose life was not merely one of wealth and privilege. A prodigal young man, Porter found his emotional anchor in a long, loving, if sexless marriage, a relationship he repeatedly risked with a string of affairs with men. His last eighteen years were marked by physical agony but also unstinting artistic achievement, including the great Hollywood musicals High Society, Silk Stockings, and Kiss Me Kate (recently and very successfully revived on Broadway). Here, at last is a life that informs the great music and lyrics through illuminating glimpses of the hidden, complicated, private man.
About the Author
William McBrien is a professor of English at Hofstra University. He has written several books, including Cole Porter and Stevie: A Biography of Stevie Smith. He lives in Forest Hills, New York.Product details
- Publisher : Vintage; Illustrated edition (1 Dec. 2000)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 480 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0679727922
- ISBN-13 : 978-0679727927
- Dimensions : 13.21 x 3.05 x 20.32 cm
Tác giả:
William McBrien
