Rarely do you encounter a professor who so eloquently blends humor with teaching

quite possibly the funniest guy i've ever met. really good prof

Really funny and interesting, but his quizzes are really hard!

Best prof I've ever had. Very intelligent and humourous at the same time. He is very clear with evrything, and you can tell he really enjoys what he does. I'll take another class with him again for sure!

Stand up comedy + history= Gerry Bowler

Awesome teacher, lots of personality, knows so many cool facts....but never take this course during intercession unless you want to get your ass whooped with memorizing!!

Gerry brings history to life! I sat mesmorized by his story-telling...GO Gerry!

Gerry is an amazing prof. The guy who sings! You'll love his stories, his rants, and his lectures. He's really easy going but his tests are hard, expect to have to memorize 200+ terms per test. Get in a study group and split up the terms between you.

Best professor ever known to the U of M

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Dr. Bowler relates history in an interesting way, with his own comic flair. After a while, some of his strong opinions grew tiresome. Be prepared for at least two major essays in his Intro course, as well as quizzes and prose memorization.

Amazing prof. Hilarious, and teaches very, very well. Would definately take another class with him.

Go Bowler! Greatest prof EVER, and one of the reasons I discovered history as my major. Very funny, makes class fun and interesting...it's impossible not to love him!

****ing Hilarious, just a great prof., don't ake the 8:30 class, cause you'll never show up and end up with a D like me, hey that kinda rhymes

The funniest teacher there is. Course material is interesting, but good writing skills are required. He's very helpful.

I've taken a few of his courses and loved them all, best professor ever! He clearly states what he is looking for and how to do it, if you follow his directions it is an easy A.

Extremely funny teacher, a good class to take first thing to keep you awake. Tests were difficult.

hard tests, lots of material, but teacher makes it easy to take notes. not boring

Best prof I've ever had. He is extremely witty and his lectures are organized, clear, and interesting. Strongly recommend to take any courses with him teaching.

Best Prof ever, extremely well spoken and funny. I highly suggest taking ANY course he may teach.

Very clear and informative. Answers questions clearly. Very knowledgable and also very funny. Makes class atmosphere enjoyable and friendly. Likes to go off on rants that are always interesting and almost always hilarious that make class fun. Highly recommended.

Great prof!! Lectures are very interesting. He makes learning history fun. Tests are tough but fair, if you put some effort into his class you'll easily get an A.

He's not the easiest prof, but you definitely won't regret taking a class with him. Hands down the best professor I had this year.

This guy is awesome. He makes all his lectures fun to listen to, and easy to understand. He's hilarious and unbelievably smart. If you can, take one of his classes. He rocks!

This guy is the ruler of the U of M

Tough stuff, but a facinating lecturer. Watch out for quizzes!!

If teaching doesn't work out, he can always try his luck at Stand-Up. It's crazy how funny his classes can be. Oh yeah...you actually learn stuff too.

Gerry is a great prof. He makes class fun to goto not like some other profs. His test are hard but fair. He'll always answer youir questins and is very helpful. Otherwise he's one of the better if not the best prof i've had at the U of M.

Bowler is a very good prof. His class is challenging but he has an amazing sense of humor!

TAKE HIS CLASS!!! He is brilliant!

This was one of the most entertaining classes I have taken to date. He has an amazing sense of humour and the little wise cracks he made actually helped me to remember certain things. If you have a chance, I'd recommend taking a class with him :)

Best Professor ever!

My first history prof. Had him for two classes in my 2nd year: Medieval World and Western Civ. Dr. Bowler = one of the very best profs I've ever had. VERY knowledgable. Often hilarious lectures, w/ advice, modern culture/politics critiques. Pay attention inclass, write good notes, and start preparing early for essays and tests, and you'll do fine.

The commenter who said he was ignorant and biased is insane. He has a point of view, like every other prof., but doesn't discourage you from diagreeing. I'm sure the commenter wouldn't try though, because he/she would get schooled because Bowler is an incredibly intelligent man. If you're an oversensitive moron, don't take go to school.

He is the best prof ever! I very much enjoyed his comments and humour (even against the french). I had him in first year, second year and I which I had him in third year. Any one interrested in Medieval history should have him as a prof at least once.

Dr.Bowler is most intelligent prof out there. He is always full of funny stories and remarks...and boy does this guy know his stuff! I didn't even need western civ or midieval history but took them because he was teaching. He is always willing to help you out and is the best university prof I have ever had!

Best prof around, only class I looked forward to attending in my uni career so far. And you will learn a lot if you follow his study advice and take notes. He's a walking encyclopedia.

After taking his class, I decided I wanted to do a History Major. He's an amazing prof! Highly recommend!

awesome most funniest prof ever! he really knows his stuff, is a hard marker, but a really nice and funny guy who makes learning fun. he met prince charles.

Super funny guy made the class very interesting as well he always gives extentions

has to be the greatest prof i ever had! extremely funny and very forgiving; i deserved a D at best! i looked forward to his lectures. i couldnt wait to hear what rant or story he had to tell. i want to take all my elective with him!

This is the best professor I have ever had in high school or university. He had the class doubled over laughing for most of his lectures. He integrates humour and history perfectly. The class itself demands a lot of time with 2 monster essays and a tough quiz. Amazing prof, interesting course.

Bowler is awesome. He is so funny and is full of information. I loved this class, it was a lot of work tho, but not too bad. Two 4000word essays, but you have plenty of time to do them. Be ready for the midterm, its a bit of a shocker. If you follow what he says, you'll do fine. Most of the work is in the last 3 weeks, so plan ahead.

This guy is amazing. Knows his stuff inside and out. Going to class was a joy. Keeps you hanging on his every word. Amazing story teller. Everyone should take this course!!!

Best Prof ever made history exremly fun always looked forward to his lectures has a knack for interesting details, very knowledgable man

Great prof. Really funny and keeps you interested. Essays were fairly easy but the exams sucked. Loved the material but had to drop the class becuase I couldn't write his tests. Would still reccommend though if you have more time to spend studying than I do.

Gerry's lectures are very interesting; he makes sure to keep them light and humourous to keep everyone's attention. His tests are quite difficult, only because there are many terms, places, battles, people, etc. to memorize for them. Essays are fairly marked. His ego, however, is a huge turnoff and makes him sometimes unapproachable.

Very Hard tests and over 500 terms to know for the final. Be prepared to write 12 page essay and 2 extremely hard tests and an exam that will kick your a**

Bowler is funny in a really corny way. The class was alright. He is incredible knowledgable and makes sure you know it.

I absolutely reccomend this course or any course taught by Bowler. He uses humor to teach the class and it's really nice to have an easy going professor make the students feel relaxed.

AMAZING! best history prof I have ever had!

Dr. Bowler is an entertaining professor and truly knows his history. His class is a pleasure to attend and he keeps you interested. However, his assignments do not reflect his easygoing personality. Essays are long and marked by (and I'm quoting Dr. Bowler) a "bitter old man" and his exams require an excessive amount of memorization.

entertaining

Dr. Bowler is a great professor. His use of humour in class makes the material a lot more bearable. He has a tendency to go off on awesome tangents that include singing or dancing. His tests are very straight forward but very difficult. There are two MASSIVE papers for this class, although the marking is fair - just make sure theyre long enough

5 years after I graduated and I still remember some of his rants. Make sure you take good notes for his midterms and finals because he will ask you about every person, place, and war that he discussed. His courses are not eas, but he is fair and overall an amazing prof!

good guy - just make sure you are ready for serious studying - close to 400 dates/events/people/randoms on final exam. VERY interesting class

A really good prof. Super funny! There was never a dull moment in his class. He mixes facts and humour which I thought helped make it easier to remember the billion terms, people, dates and facts that you need to know for the final exam. Make sue you go to class, not just to get the notes, but to listen to all the funny things he has to say. :)

Bowler is awesome!! Take him for every history class if you can! His lectures are interesting, he is always making the class laugh, and he's easy to understand. His tests are hard, but he's such an amazing prof, it's worth it to be in his class. He's very approachable too, and will help you with assignments and tests.

Quite possibly the best prof I have, or ever will have, studied under!

Some might find him insulting and rude; don't take him seriously, he's just making fun. He's an excellent prof and I'm looking forward to the rest of the course and any future history courses I have with him! He's really peaked my interest in the history of europe with this class!

Took a summer course with him and i must say probably the best class ive ever taken. He is very funny and keeps everything interesting and made it worth coming to school everyday. If your into history you gotta take this prof. His essays are a tad tough but the tests are really easy if youve paid attention. Listen to him and take notes! Easy A

He is an amazing orator and holds a class' attention very well. Relates medieval studies to a modern context and makes the "dark ages" very interesting. He has high standards for material handed in, but is more than willing to coach students through what he wants out of their work. I recommend his classes to anyone.

Professor Bowler is a gifted lecturer, which sets him apart from other history profs. Those who have studied history throughout their lives have a wealth of knowledge, but only few of these can explain past events in a way that is clear and coherent. Prof. Bowler sprinkles his lectures with interesting facts and humour. Highly recommended for all.

This is what history should be. He does not just talk about names and dates but why it was important and how it relates to today. One of the funniest profs. I highly recommend his class to anyone.

Best prof I've had yet. Kept classes interesting with his awesome sense of humour. He is not an easy marker, but taking his class is totally worth it. I learned a lot and thorougly enjoyed attending his classes.

I had him for Western Civ and absolutely HAD to take more classes with him. He's hilarious, but you have to work really hard in his class if you want to get a passing grade. One of the best professors at the U of M.

Best prof I've ever had. Definitely made things interesting and was a class I made sure not to miss. A very gifted lecturer, but you have to be able to listen and take notes, as his slides are only outlines. "Bowler Quizzes" are tough, but he prepares you for the final exam. Plus, who wouldn't love a prof who taught the History of Christmas!?

He is the one, the only, greatest prof ever!

Very interesting to listen to but exams are hard with lots of memorization

Great professor. He made the course super fun and he was very funny. He marked fair and was willing to listen to any questions you may have. The only problem I have is that he gave me a 76% on one of my essays with the explanation that it was a "great essay, well written, and a good thesis, just hard to prove" but I still ended up with an A.

he was full of stories! I had him for 4+ history courses.

Best prof ever! His classes are engaging and hilarious, honestly, who wouldn't want to attend a class where he bursts into random songs and has shameless photo drops of himself in awesome places with funny stories to go along with them? Love, love love him. Too bad that he is retiring after this year.

Great guy and amazing lecturer. Although all his classes are incredibly interesting, go into them ready to work. He is a very fair marker, you will earn the grade you get in his class.

Bowler is definitely a gifted lecturer. He makes his subject matter interesting, which helps with retaining the info. He has a good sense of humour and funny quirks in his lecturing. He is also a very fair marker and is generally merciful towards things such as extensions

Amazing prof, and the best lecturer I have ever had the privilege of listening to. He is not the easiest marker, but he is fair and if you put in the work it will show on your final grade. He makes history come alive and you should take every course you can with this man.

Too free with his personal views, can be slightly grating. Also pretty good at self-promotion... to the point of annoying.

Insanely gifted lecturer, I could listen to this guy all day. Pretty funny as well -- brightening up a sometimes dull topic. Make sure your essay topics are good before you approach him as he will decline your suggestion if it isnt and supply you with one of his choice. made me write a 12 page paper and read a 270 page book in 4 days...

This guy is hilarious. His lectures are literally theatrical performances.

This guy is the man! He is an incredible lecturer, makes boring topics fun, has funny commentary on pop culture, and is extremely smart; every class is entertaining. Go to class and take good notes to prepare for his memorization quizzes. The essays are tough but fair. Highly recommended!

His lectures are pure entertainment! The format is easy: 2 essays and 1 midterm. If you study the material and properly prepare you will have no trouble getting a good mark. Fairly easy marker as long as you show you've grasped the concepts.

Absolutely the best possible professor you can get for this kind of course! The funniest guy ever, his anecdotes and side stories make this class so easy to stay conscious in! Take it as your W course, 2 essays, quiz and exam was not exactly demanding!

Best prof ever. Very funny. entertaining. keeps things interesting. very particular on how he grades his essays, but if you put lots of effort into your papers you should do well.

I took History of Western Civ with him, as well as History of the Medieval World. BEST PROF EVER. His lectures are hilarious and interesting and great for taking notes. 2 essays and a midterm for all his classes - his tests are a breeze, and for the final his gives you a list of the possible essays. Pay attention to essay guidelines!

Absolutely FANTASTIC! This was by far my favorite class of the year. Prof. Bowler is so much fun to listen to and lectures are very interesting. The term papers are a lot of work and the quizzes require you to know your stuff, but I felt the marking was fair. I would absolutely recommend this class to anyone who likes medieval history.

He is the guy!!! Def my fav pro ever! Great sense of humour, so knowledgeable, very helpful and super easy to approach. He made the lectures super interesting and fun. And an easy marker as long as u put effort. I love him! I would like to return to his class again just to listen to him teaching.

I found bowler to be very knowledgeable and friendly, but at the same time he is very self righteous and arrogant. Quizzes are straight up memorization of hundreds of terms. Essays were marked fairly.

Worth taking for the endorphins! Favourite Bowler quote, when referencing the look of Bollywood men: "a mound of chest hair thick enough to thatch the roof of several peasant cottages." And very smart.

awesome prof enjoyed class immensely great sense of humor totally enjoys his job and very interactive you feel very comfy asking stuff vey approachable after class or via email tests are hard essays are midway but in my opinion if you wanna pass fine you have to pass it all tests all essays and exam if you fall behind you will get into trouble

I took three classes with Bowler and have been out of university for about 2 years. I can honestly say he was the best professor I encountered and things he said/taught me still stick in my head. Anyone who is going to university to study History gets the same advice from me: TAKE HIS COURSES! You will not be disappointed.

Definitely my favorite Prof. He's hilarious and a lot of fun! The workload is fairly easy, just a test, an essay and the final exam per term but you MUST study for them because they can be difficult and memorization is required. I've taken three classes with him now, highly recommend them. His rants are hilarious and he has the funniest comments!

Wonderful, knowledgeable, joyful professor. He does expect a lot out of you, which motivates you to learn. The Course, is very interesting, and the books are thought provoking.

This is the second class I've taken with Prof. Bowler and once again I LOVED it. He really makes material interesting. Papers are a lot of work but he is willing to help if you ask. He grades very reasonably. Fact tests require good memorization skills. Overall Prof. Bowler is one of my favourite professors and I highly recommend his class!

Awesome prof. Really made the class enjoyable while making sure each student learned something new each class.