3918. Dreiser, by W. A. Swanberg (read 8 Aug 2004) I finished reading this book Aug 8, 2004. It is the 8th Swanberg book I have read. While Dreiser is a thoroughly despicable person--a hater of the Catholic Church, a person who revelled in adultery, an admirer of Hitler and Stalin, an anti-Semite--I enjoyed the book immensely, the author holding no brief for Dreiser's bad qualities. The book is well-researched, and its account of literary lives from 1900 [when Sister Carrie was published (it flopped!)] till Dec 28, 1945 [when Dreiser died mostly forgotten] is unfailingly interesting and well-written. This book confirmed for me anew why I like Swanberg--even when his subject is a man I have no regard for. ( )