Theodore Dreiser

Ida Hauchawout (Dodo Press) Theodore Dreiser

Theodore Herman Albert Dreiser (1871-1945) was an American author of the naturalist school, known for dealing with the gritty reality of life. His first novel, Sister Carrie (1900), tells the story of a woman who flees her country life for the city (Chicago) and falls into a wayward life. His second novel, Jennie Gerhardt, was published the following year. Many of his subsequent novels dealt with social inequality. Though primarily known as a novelist, he published his first collection of short stories, Free and Other Stories in 1918. The collection contained 9 stories. His first commercial success was An American Tragedy (1925), which was made into a film in 1931 and again in 1951. He, a committed socialist, wrote several nonfiction books on political issues. These included Dreiser Looks at Russia (1928), the result of his 1927 trip to the Soviet Union, Tragic America (1931) and America is Worth Saving (1941). His other works include The Financier (1912), The Titan (1914) and Twelve Men (1919).