SOURCE: Introduction to The Best Short Stories of Theodore Dreiser, edited by Howard Fast, Ivan R. Dee, Inc., 1989, pp. 1-5.

In the following essay from a collection that was originally published in 1947, Fast asserts that "Dreiser has no peer in the American short story," and argues that the key to Dreiser's success as a short story writer lies in the author's tremendous capacity for compassion in creating his narratives and characters.

One evening recently, a group of us set about making, for our own amusement, a list of the finest short stories in the world. Actually, they were by no means the finest—there are no real absolutes in art—but rather a reflection of personal taste and preference; yet, it was curious how much unanimity of opinion there was—or perhaps not so curious, when you consider what universal and ageless appeal a rich and well-rounded tale...