Cole Porter’s Papers

This chapter presents the author's reflections as the archivist for the Cole Porter Collection in the Music Division of the Library of Congress. He shares are some of the things that touched and fascinated him from that collection. He says that Porter's manuscripts and papers are a near-inexhaustible source for research and fascination. One can get lost in the craft, the detail, the life, and the history. And one thing always leads to another. What surprised him more than anything is how few people take advantage of papers like Porter's that were saved and donated and are now available for study. Thus, readers should take this chapter as both a challenge and an invitation.