#30 in Drama & theatre
An American Tragedy
- 791
- Pages
- about 15 h
- Reading time
- Film 1951 +2
- On screen
- 20th Century's Greatest Hits: 100 English-Language Books of Fiction
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About the book
An American Tragedy is a 1925 novel by American writer Theodore Dreiser. He began the manuscript in the summer of 1920, but a year later, abandoned most of that text. It was based on the notorious murder of Grace Brown in 1906, and the trial of her lover, Chester Gillette. In 1923 Dreiser returned to the project and, with the help of his future wife Helen and editor-secretaries Louise Campbell and Sally Kusell, completed the massive novel in 1925. The book entered the public domain in the United States on January 1, 2021.
On screen
This book has been adapted for the screen 3 times — from 1931 to 1962.
Adaptation data: Wikidata · On screen →
Where the score comes from
The sources average 7.5 across 59 ratings — not yet many, so the reader vote carries 24% of the weight and the rest pulls toward the Drama & theatre average of 7.6. That is how 7.6 comes out.
| Source | Average | Ratings | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Library | 7.7 | 14 | 24% |
| Hardcover | 7.4 | 45 | 76% |
Frequently asked
What is An American Tragedy rated?
7.6 out of 10, from 59 reader ratings across 2 independent sources.
Is An American Tragedy worth reading?
Readers give it 7.6/10 from 59 ratings, which puts it ahead of 46 % of the Drama & theatre shelf.
How long does it take to read An American Tragedy?
About 15 hours at an average reading pace — 791 pages.
Where does An American Tragedy rank?
#30 in Drama & theatre on the current snapshot.
Has the book An American Tragedy been adapted for the screen?
Yes. The latest is A Place in the Sun (1951); there are 3 adaptations in total.
How long is An American Tragedy?
It has 791 pages — longer than 98% of the ranked books in Drama & theatre.
If you liked this
The same shelf — Drama & theatre — and a score of 7.6, the closest to this book.
