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Followers of my Dreiser blog may be interested to see the updated “About” section on this site, at

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It points out some key posts and sections you may want not to miss.

 

— Roger W. Smith

   April 2020

Theodore Dreiser, “This Madness”

 

 

‘This Madness. Aglaia’ – Cosmopolitan, February 1929

‘This Madness. Aglaia’ – Cosmopolitan, March 1929

‘This Madness. The Story of Elizabeth’ – Cosmopolitan, April 1929

‘This Madness. The Story of Elizabeth’ – Cosmopolitan, May 1929

‘This Madness. The Book of Sidonie’ – Cosmopolitan, June 1929

‘This Madness. The Book of Sidonie’ – Cosmopolitan, July 1929

 

“You people may not realize it, but in ‘This Madness’ you are publishing the most intimate and important work so far achieved by me,” Theodore Dreiser told us after we had completed arrangements for his new novel to appear in Cosmopolitan. We do realize it, Mr. Dreiser. We realize that no man, certainly no American, has written so honestly, so frankly, about the part love plays in the life of a great artist.

We believe you readers of Cosmopolitan also realize what a privilege it has been to you to have the opportunity to read such an outstanding piece of realism before book publication.

— Theodore Dreiser, “This Madness: The Book of Sidonie,” Hearst’s International combined with Cosmopolitan 86 (June 1929), pg. 83

 

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“… what women who had read Theodore Dreiser’s senile and at the same time romantic and egotistical account of his love life in ‘This Madness,’ … would willingly intrust to him the task of recording and interpreting her life?” — Ruth Kennell, review of A Gallery of Women by Theodore Dreiser, Chicago Daily News, December 11, 1929

 

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Posted here (downloadable Word documents above) is the entire text of “This Madness,” a novella by Theodore Dreiser that was published in six installments in Hearst’s International combined with Cosmopolitan in 1929.

The novella was about 56,000 words in length. This is over a third — approximately — of the length of Sister Carrie.

“This Madness” has never been republished; it never appeared in book form.

 

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The six installments are posted here as separate Word documents:

Theodore Dreiser, “This Madness [Aglaia],” Hearst’s International combined with Cosmopolitan 86.2 (February 1929): 22-27, 192-203

Theodore Dreiser, “This Madness: Part Two—Aglaia,” Hearst’s International combined with Cosmopolitan 86.3 (March 1929): 44-47, 160-66

Theodore Dreiser, “This Madness: The Story of Elizabeth,” Hearst’s International combined with Cosmopolitan 86 (April 1929): 81-85, 117-20

Theodore Dreiser. “This Madness [The Story of Elizabeth],” Hearst’s International combined with Cosmopolitan 86 (May 1929): 80-83, 146-154

Theodore Dreiser, “This Madness: The Book of Sidonie,” Hearst’s International combined with Cosmopolitan 86 (June 1929): 83-87, 156-68

Theodore Dreiser, “This Madness [Sidonie],” Hearst’s International combined with Cosmopolitan 87 (July 929): 86-87, 179-186

 

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The New York Public Library has bound copies of these issues of the magazine. I believe that they are not readily available or obtainable elsewhere. The NYPL’s set may be unique.

The above transcriptions were done by Roger W. Smith. who copied, typed, and proofread the text.

Commentary (mine) on “This Madness” is forthcoming.

 

— posted by Roger W. Smith

   April 2020