Sister Carrie

Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser (1900)

A young woman from small-town Wisconsin comes to Chicago, becomes the mistress of two men, and rises to fame as an actress — while the men who supported her are destroyed. The novel that launched American literary realism.

Historical Significance:
Theodore Dreiser's first novel was so frank in its treatment of sexuality, social climbing, and moral ambiguity that his own publisher, Doubleday, tried to suppress it after publication in 1900. Frank Norris, a reader at the publisher, championed the book, but Doubleday printed only 1,008 copies and refused to promote it. The novel sold just 456 copies and earned Dreiser $68.40.

Sister Carrie's radical innovation was its refusal to punish its heroine for her sexual transgressions — Carrie rises while the men fall, without moral judgment from the author. This was shocking in 1900 and established the naturalistic tradition in American fiction. The novel was rediscovered in the 1980s when the original manuscript was restored, revealing extensive cuts made by Dreiser's wife.

This public domain classic was originally published in 1900. Free to read and share.