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How did Frank Norris help Sister Carrie reach publication?
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Theodore Dreiser
His first published novel Sister Carrie had a limited printing because of the controversial subject matter.
Frank Norris played a pivotal role in the publication of Theodore Dreiser's first novel, Sister Carrie. While working as a reader for the publishing firm Doubleday, Page and Company in 1899, Frank Norris championed the manuscript with great enthusiasm. His advocacy was a primary factor in the firm's decision to publish the book in 1900.1
Despite Norris's support, the publisher later developed reservations regarding the novel's storyline, which depicted a young woman whose "immorality" went unpunished. Consequently, the firm limited the book's advertising, which severely hampered its initial commercial success.1