The any_cast documentation ( http://www.boost.org/doc/html/any_cast.html ) doesn't reflect latest changes in any.hpp. Now it's legal to get direct access to any's content using any_cast<ValueType&> syntax. New overload should be added: template<typename T> T any_cast(any & operand); All occurrences of ValueType in the overload template<typename ValueType> ValueType any_cast(const any & operand); should be replaced with T (where T is either ValueType or a reference to ValueType). In section "Returns" replace If passed a value or reference, it returns a copy of the value content if successful. with If passed a value or reference, it returns held value if successful. If T is ValueType, it returns a copy of the held value, otherwise, if T is a (possibly const qualified) reference to ValueType, it returns a reference to the held value. In section "Throws" replace "the overload taking an any value" with "overloads taking an any value" Section "Rationale" should be removed. -- Alexander Nasonov