Dreiser

Dreiser is a surname of German origin. It is most notably associated with Theodore Dreiser (1871–1945), an American novelist and journalist and a leading figure in American naturalism and realism. Born in Terre Haute, Indiana, Dreiser became renowned for his unflinching portrayals of urban life, social issues, and the forces shaping individual destinies. His major novels include Sister Carrie (1900), The Financier (1912), The Titan (1914), and An American Tragedy (1925). Through these works, he explored the tensions between ambition, wealth, and the moral costs of the pursuit of success, often critiquing economic systems and social hypocrisy. Dreiser’s insistence on factual depiction and social critique helped shape later developments in American literature and influenced writers within the naturalist and realist traditions. The surname remains relatively uncommon and is primarily encountered in historical or biographical contexts related to its most famous bearer.