riley was among the most popular writers of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, known for his "uncomplicated, sentimental, and humorous" writing. often writing his verses in dialect, his poetry caused readers to recall a nostalgic and simpler time in earlier american history. this gave his poetry a unique appeal during a period of rapid industrialization and urbanization in the united states. riley was a prolific writer who "achieved mass appeal partly due to his canny sense of marketing and publicity". he published more than fifty books, mostly of poetry and humorous short stories, and sold millions of copies.