In his stories and in such landmark novels as Sister Carrie and An American Tragedy, Theodore Dreiser (1871-1945) defied literary propriety and broke new ground in American fiction by focusing on life as it is, rather than as it ought to be. Sherwood Anderson, introducing a collection of Dreiser stories, said of him: ""If there is a modern movement in American prose writing, a movement toward greater courage and fidelity to life in writing, then Theodore Dreiser is the pioneer and the hero of the movement."" Indeed, his bold example paved the way for a new generation of American writers.The five superb stories in this volume vividly attest to the sincerity and depth of Dreiser's gifts as a powerful and original storyteller. They are ""Free,"" the story of a man trying, as his wife lies dying, to understand why he never found happiness in marriage; ""The Second Choice"" and ""Married,"" two insightful tales of the complex relationships of men and women; ""Nigger Jeff,"" a powerful, disturbing story of a lynching; and ""The Lost Phœbe,"" a poignant tale of a man's search for a lost life partner.
