Although Sherwood Anderson had a relatively brief literary career, publishing his first novel when he was forty years old, he has left an indelible mark on American literature. His critique of modern society and avant-garde prose served as a model for younger writers of the so-called "Lost Generation," who for a time venerated Anderson for his rather dramatic departure from mainstream family and corporate life for one of nonconformity and cultural rebellion. He is considered today one of the most important figures in twentieth century American fiction—one who combined turn-of-the-century realism with an almost poetic introspection into the frailties and uncertainties of modern man.

Such a career seemed unlikely for Anderson initially. Born in Camden, Ohio, in 1876, he came of age in the small Ohio town of Clyde before attending Wittenberg Academy in Springfield, Ohio. As a boy, Anderson was known around town...