This class was, without a doubt, the most influencial and critical class I've ever taken in my life. Joe Wenderoth changed the way I think about poetry, art, and life. He is an absolute genius and a brilliant teacher, if you are up for a challenge.

Genius. Any professor who wears a POISON t-shirt is a fan of mine. Plus, he doesn't hold back his thoughts. If your writing sucks, he says, "Your writing sucks."

I think he's getting a bad wrap...he's a hard professor to rate because he is smart, interesting and funny, but also arrogant, standoffish and cmplicated. Lectures are insightful, class is complex, but had a way of linking ideas that could be mind blowing.

Best English teacher at Davis handsdown, anyone who doesn't like him ... doesn't understand him. The class material is really interesting and he is a really cool guy. I take whatever classes he offers.

If you open yourself up to different ways of thinking, Wenderoth will be one of the most rewarding teachers you can have. He really challenges his students, and I think that's part of why some people don't like him. If you _choose_ to learn from him, you will learn -- a lot.

He is the most down to earth, ghetto style professor ever. He likes old country and blues, and is mean to stupid people- which I appreciate. He is "weird" but once you understand him he will seem like a genius. He inspired me tremendously. There needs be more professors like him, instead of polite ****es.

An odd, odd man, but also the most insightful (in a revolutionary sort of way) professor I've ever had at UC Davis. Unless you are a weak-minded sloth, you will think about his lectures and appreciate his comments for months after the class ends. The strong should take him.

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Quirky, sure, but CREATIVE in his manner and matter. Everyone needs a challenge!

Smart reader of my poetry. He helped me a lot.

Joe Wenderoth made travelling 6,000 miles to study at Davis absolutely worth it. He is a genius, a self-proclaimed "grotesque", and Joe demands the kind of existential thought about the nature of reality that coming to college is all about. Don't take this class if you want to be spoonfed

This has been the most engaging and thought-provoking class I have taken at UCD. The lectures and readings are refreshingly different. His style of teaching is avant-garde, so if you want a professor who talks at you for two hours, don't take a class with him. We're lucky to have him at Davis.

Joe Wenderoth really helped me understand what modernist literature is all about. The class is not easy, and many of the concepts explained are highly theoretical and philosophical which I think explains the number of bad reviews here, but assuming you are up for the challenge I highly recommend taking one of his classes.

Someone else mentioned that he's a complicated fellow. Yes. Arrogant, proud, loves to hear himself talk. But also hilarious, talented, interesting, and smart. If you are up for it, he'll really help push your writing. You don't have to buy everything he says. Just enjoy it, listen a bit, don't get offended. Your writing might widen if you allow it.

I think that if you can somehow navigate your way around his enormous ego, then there is a lot you can learn from him. I can see how it would be easy to not like him, but he's a pretty good guy. I liked the class a lot.

First of all, this professor is extremely intelligent, and if you don't understand what he's talking about then you need to work harder. Trust me, it's worth it. To be in one of his classes is great because, if you care enough, the experience will change you.

If you want honest feedback, take his class.

Very cool guy. Very kind and personable. Incredibly smart. Fair. Covers relevant, deep, life material. Doesn't care about MLA. Go to office hours. We covered Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself". Not a lot of reading, but very close reading. No midterm, one paper, attend, take notes, ask questions. So glad I didn't listen to the negative reviews!

an absolutely wonderful professor.

Joe is a good professor, his lectures are interesting and meaningful. I understand what people mean when they say he doesn't teach writing, because he doesn't. It's kind of up to you, it's a challenge. He gives interesting lectures and all the information necessary to write though. The people who are complaining probably just bs'ed their responses.

I love this guy! He is quite cynical and liberal but speaks nothing but truth. I wonder if he is happy. He creates stimulating discussion about the books and social problems of america. He is a fairly easy grader also. This class really opened my mind and provided with me with a new way of thinking.

Honestly, Joe is a great Professor. For the last two years, he served as my professor, mentor, and thesis chair. He's been a huge influence on me as a writer, an intellectual, and a person. He respects his students, but challenges them to be better. Unlike other creative writing professors at UCD, Joe is humble and anyone would benefit from him.

Joe curated materials for a study of berryman's dream songs in a way that expanded my historical basis for reading american long poems, and sharpened my ear for meter. joe re-created the cultural context of the dream songs' composition with music, criticism, and video from the period, which kept me engaged with a notoriously difficult text.

Joe Wenderoth was my professor when I was a graduate student in the Creative Writing program. He is easily the best teacher I have ever had. Besides giving spot-on feedback and insightful lectures, he always showed up at student readings. That is dedication for you. To put it simply: Joe Wenderoth cares about good poetry. Take all of his classes.

Joe is brilliant. He insists, ultimately, that you pursue work that YOU care about, and the honesty of this pursuit is what he seeks to facilitate. He is immensely learned, but doesn't showboat; he is incredibly generous with his time, and attentive in reading student work. His classes were serious, hilarious, and inspiring--FULL PROPS.

I studied with Joe when I was earning my MA in Creative Writing at UCD. I also TA'd two of his undergraduate courses. I got my BA in English at Yale and am earning my PhD in Ren Lit at UCLA. Joe remains the best teacher with whom I've ever studied poetry; no lit prof I've ever encountered is better. He also happens to be a genius poet.

LecturesConversations that get you to think about language in a different way. Joe makes the world of poemswordsliterature not only more accessible, but also more relevant and more apparent. You will see your everyday life differently, and this is why you get a higher education. Joe is incredibly dedicated and the best professor at UC Davis.

One of the best teachers I've ever had. Joe was my professor when I was a graduate student in the Creative Writing Program, and though I graduated 6 years ago, he continues to read my poetry and support me professionally. I'm now a year away from finishing my Ph.D. and publishing my second book and he's been with me every step of the way. Respect.

I took 3 100 leveladvanced writing classes with JW (poetry, fiction, & non fiction). What other classes tried to teach me by method, I learned here by experience- the kind of reading and thinking that makes one reach way beyond the obvious. JW is a thoughtful prof who recognizes and values intuition, and can allow for the roughness of intellect.

Wenderoth is a great professor. Creative out-of-the-box and insightful. he told us to work hard, be honest, follow our interests. mixes music, pop culture, politics. gives a lot of attention to your weekly responses. Sometimes his comments were longer than my reports. not "easy" or "hard." what you put into it. wish more professors were as original

The first class I took at Davis that actually woke me up. Really unique perspective on poetry, very thoughtful and considerate of students, invited us to have the kind of discussions I still remember, months after the class ended.

Though I knew nothing about contemporary poetry, Joe respected my thoughts in his seminar and gave me encouraging feedback. He lent me an anthology and gave me copies of poems I still think about today. As for the poor reviews Joe receives on this site - please take a second to examine how vaguely and poorly they are written before you trust them.

How do I describe Professor Wenderoth? Simple: the most strange guy I have ever taken a class from. If you put 100% into his class and are prepared for him to icily stare you into the dust if you try to make up what you didn't read, and will accept harsh, but well meaning criticism with a good spirit, you will get a good grade. He CARES about us!

Attend class and bookmark important passages for the final. The written assignments are manageable if you take a fair shot and heed his feedback for the long essay. His opinions on history and government should be taken with a grain of salt. As long as you are not offended by the occasional blanket statement, his lectures are enjoyable.

joe is, hands down, the best professor I was lucky enough to encounter at UCD. I took my 1st class w him freshman year, and proceeded to take every class he offered after that. joe's brilliant, and is invested in his students. if you're feeling that you don't understand the content, or feel he is 'arrogant', talk to the guy. he might change ya.

Definitely a unique character, but he is genuinely a genius. Knows how to think, write, and make you think and write. Always enjoyed class and had fun (though sometimes it was uncomfortable). Quite disorganized, and cares more about the quality of your thoughts than their polish or deadlines. If you like structure, he may not be for you.