Dreiser was born in Indiana, America.  His parents were of German origin. They were very poor. He spent his childhood in poverty. He went to university but didn't take a degree. In 1892 he started to work as a reporter for Chicago newspapers. 

His first novel Sister Carrie is about a young woman who doesn't want to live in the countryside. She goes to the city and becomes a famous actress. The novel makes people think about morality and lifestyle. It was called the greatest of all American urbal novels.

In his other novels he shows different situations where young people want to have a lot of money.  Some of such people become criminals. People killed for money, married for money and it was called the American kind of crime. 

Dreiser also was a poet. He wrote about poverty and ambition. He understood the social injustice of the working class and joined the Communist party USA in 1945. 

His business novels make people think about life and goals in life. There is a Dreiser college in New York. Also, you can see his name in a Chicago Literary Hall of Fame. He is one of the greatest unique American writers, who showed some important aspects of social life.