Theodore Dreiser considered “This is Madness,” subtitled “The First True Love Novels Ever Written,” to be his most significant and personal work. As the author himself admitted, romantic relationships always played a paramount role in his life. They toned him up, excited his thoughts and strengthened his spirit. It is not surprising that Dreiser’s love life was extremely eventful: he separated from his wife, regularly changed lovers and even cheated on his constant life partner. It was the memories of several of the most striking relationships in Dreiser’s life that formed the basis of the novel. “This Madness” was published in parts in the pages of Hearst International magazine from February to July 1929. The writer planned to include several more essays in the text, but never returned to this topic. The novel is being published in Russian for the first time!