Sister Carrie (1900) is a novel by Theodore Dreiser. Controversial for
its honest depiction of work, desire, and urban life, Sister Carrie
has endured as a classic of naturalist fiction and remains a powerful
example of social critique over a century after its publication. Despite
poor reviews upon publication, the novel is now considered a landmark of
American literature. Tired of the countryside, Carrie Meeber moves to
Chicago to live with her older sister and her husband. On the train ride
into the city, she meets an older man, a handsome traveling salesman
named Charles Drouet. Despite their obvious attraction, she decides to
focus on finding work in order to pay rent. Carrie struggles at a local
factory and longs to pursue her interest in acting, but knows that her
obligation to family requires she work diligently and without complaint.
One day, she encounters Charles on the street and joins him for lunch.
He offers to take her in, suggesting that she need no longer worry about
factory work or her sister, and remarking on her natural beauty and
effortless charm. Soon, however, she strikes up a relationship with an
unhappily married man, risking her stability with Charles and tying her
fortunes to Hurstwood, who soon proves arrogant and manipulative. With a
beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this
edition of Theodore Dreiser's Sister Carrie is a classic of American
literature reimagined for modern readers.
