great teacher, makes you learn without even realizing it

I love this man!! Makes learning fun :)

Good class but work is involved. Grades depend somewhat on TA. Entertaining lectures, but lots of reading.

Dr. Summers is a brilliant lecturer and by far my favorite professor at UK.

One of the coolest professors by far. Makes hisotry really fun. There is work, but most history classes require it.

Great lecturer, interesting required readings, grade depends heavily on the quality and personality of your TA though. Overall, a really funny guy, and a terrific American history prof.

he's sooo entertaining.. doesn't just discuss history, makes it into an understandable story!

This teacher's a bit crazy. He lectures with no writing at all except a crudy outline on the projector. If you don't mind taking notes on what he says and what's not written this is your class, you'll like it. His lectures are in story form and interes

great lecture teacher, for the grade though do the readings and take the class with someone you know it makes it easier exam time.

Summers is off the wall. His class is fun and entertaining, but note taking takes patience. You never know what he is going to say or how it might relate to his test. He is a genuine person who seems to really care about his students.

Summers is a wild child but I love his class!

Summers is soo HOTT! Geez, I wish he wasn't married. I love his class!

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Summers is an awesome teacher. It's refreshing to find a teacher to passionate about what he does. In order to get a good grade though, you need to attend class daily and make sure that you do the readings--especially the additional supplement books!!!

Awsome teacher makes going to class the most enjoyable time of the day. Very energetic and tells really good stories about history that nobody else knows

Excellent professor. Knows what he's talking about and very helpful. If you keep up with the lecture notes, outlines, and the texts of the course then you will do fine. Strongly recommend that you take him for history.

He's a bit of an eccentric, but that makes the class much more fun than it would be otherwise. The readings are far removed from textbooks and give a human insight to events, which is what Summers tries to do in class. Take his class, it's the most fun you'll have. And you get to play detective!

GREAT CLASS! Highly recommend him. Kind of eccentric, but he knows what he's talking about and loves his job. Always willing to help, and never gets too boring.

My favorite prof--hard as **** but WHAT a character. Someone with that much knowledge scares me so bad I can only sit back in awe, trying not to piss myself. Class was fascinating as hell--and I aced it.

Ok this man is crazy, who would have thought that history could actually be somewhat fun to be lectured about... He is the only teacher that can wake me at 9 am.

AMAZING Professor... I hate history and he makes it halfway interesting... although it does scare me when He runs up and down the scares... I highly reccommend this professor...

This guy is very energetic and you will never fall asleep in his class

A bit uncoventional perhaps, but far removed from crazy. The class was a lot of fun because the stories he tells in class you've likely never heard before. Very often he plays all the characters in the story with a wicked sense of humor.

The man is insanely brillant!

Not too hard of a class. Just make sure you do not take it early in the morning because this professor can be one of the most annoying people if you have just waken up. Despite what others have said, it is very easy to fall asleep in this class

This man is brilliant and hilarious. You will learn quite a bit from him, and you will want to take him again. He requires a good amount of work, but he is fair and his exams are cake if you study (he provides you a study guide). Only class I've ever seen where the prof. got applause the final class. Highly recommended!

Kept me awake at 9am, brilliant prof! A lot of work (4 novels, 2 papers, text reading) but if you study really good and read, the exams are easy (he tells you the long essay questions). Short essays were always over one of the novels. Discussion section seemed pointless except on review day but you have to go. Smart man, I'd take him again for sure

The British Empire has never been more fun! It was a smaller class and it was absolutely the best one I've ever had. The weird stories and the political cartoons make it interesting. The best thing I learned from Dr. Summers was that "Stupidity is one of the great ruling forces of the human race." Take Summers for anything and you'll have fun.

His lectures are very unpredictable. If you do not like history or find it boring you will love his class. However if you are a history major or are seeking a deeper knowledge of history it is the wrong class to take. He has a very personal approach to the subject.

he is a very good professor, knows history very well and presents it in an original way, is funny and basically makes history into a story, lectures are almost like a show. Tests are all essays and short answers. Probably the best professor I have had.

One word to describe Dr summers lectures...EPIC. every class is like a hollywood movie. I loved watching the little tiny man riverdance on a desk, jump over chairs to answer a question and run up and down the stairs just to shut the door. What a character. Super interesting. below avg hardness. fun class.

He will help you if you need it. He is funny. Most importiantly, he cares what his students get on test. Everyone in the class seems to love him and he is my favorite history teacher at UK. Very easy to get an A and if you fail or get a D its really our own fault, its all lain out in black and white for you. I showed up to 1/2 the classes. 91%

He made class fun and enjoyable. I hated history and never learned anything until I was in Summer's class!

I liked Summers. He is very knowledgable about History and wants his students to know everything. However, I would NOT recommend taking this class early in the morning because attendance isn't mandatory so I found myself missing a lot of classes and getting far behind because you cover so much every class. Test are essay style- very long and hard.

The best professor I had, I took the class because the previous semester I would sit outside and listen to his lectures while I waited for my class. He is passionate, and makes history fascinating. The tone of his voice when he lectured about the revolutionary war literally gave me chills, it was so good! I highly encourage you to take his class!!!

Best prof. I've had so far. He is very passionate about his subject, and makes history exciting. He is willing to help in his office hours and holds review sessions before test if we ask for them. I really recommend this class, I learned a lot about US History that I couldn't have from a textbook. Lectures aren't mandatory, but recitation is.

The guy that jumps on tables. Slightly eccentric, but he's a nice guy and will have your back if you show the least bit of effort. His detective assignments aren't tough, in fact, if you get them wrong you still get full credit. He's kind of predictable with his lectures so you can be tempted to skip class. I guess I'd recommend him.

He is very funny and i could never fall asleep he jumps on tables! I love his class but some of this TA's are awful! Sometimes they don't grade fairly. So just watch the TAs

Nice guy. Pretty eccentric. Lecture isn't mandatory but recitation is. Make sure you read books assigned outside of class- they won't be discussed but they appear on exams. Exams are all writing, with one question worth half of the exam grade. Not a difficult class, though.

he's good

best teacher. he is hilarious and kind of crazy. but over all a good teacher.

Great professor.

Extremely entertaining

Dr. Summers is very entertaining and one of the best story tellers I have met, he passionate about the subject and expects his students to be as well. As far as the classwork, you will have 3 papers which are graded fairly easily, and 3 exams including the final, for the exams he gives you a study guide a couple weeks prior to the exam. Great guy.

I absolutely loved this class. His lectures are always interesting, his sprinting around the room and shouting on top of desks makes sure of that. The tests are hard if you don't study, all essay and short answer. If you go to lecture and discussion and study, it's an easy A.

His lectures are entertaining but wow his expections are high. You have to read so many books and take essay tests then write a 10 page paper. He grades so hard on short id's so be as specific as you can! He's really helpful and smart but I wish I didn't take his class.

I liked this professor. He was entertaining, and I must say I became a history major because of him. I would not take his glad or a grade for his exams are hard, and you have to take a rectiation course also which was okay, TA was helpful.

Dr. Summers is one of the funniest professors at UK. If you have to take a history class, make sure its one of his.

Dr. Summers is awesome...he is very energetic about history. Get the KentuckyClassNotes.com and go pick them up the notes go perfectly along with the lecture. TA's grade everything so try and get Andrew Patrick for your TA. Attendance is not mandatory. If you get the KentuckyClassNotes and go to you rec. you should be fine.

Summers is my favorite teacher at UK. He makes history so entertaining and his lectures are a little hard to follow but definitely won't put you to sleep. For tests, he gives you exactly what he expects of you so as long as you study you should be fine. Seriously an awesome teacher.

class was always entertaining and kept your interest. summers would open with music and sometimes a dance. His notes are kind of ineligible, but clear through his lecture

One of the best professors at UK in my opinion! If you want to take a history class make sure you have Dr. Summers.

His lectures are always entertaining and he's very animated, which can make lecture more enjoyable. However, he seems unorganized and is only available through office hours (no email). Would recommend him for 108/109 where the TA does most of the organization. Two exams were IDs/short essay/long essay. One 7-10pg paper. Class not too bad if you study.

I've had for 2 classes and if he taught any other classes other than 108 and 109 I would definitely take him again. He will definitely keep your interest in lectures. Its not mandatory to go to lecture but if you don't go you will definitely miss a lot of info. it is vital to go to recitation! great class and teacher!

I had him over 20 years ago. I thought he was an awesome teacher! He would at times, dress in clothers from the period, show political cartoons from the time and explain them, and had a great enthusiasm for the subject. If you like History....he is the teacher for you!

Going to his class is like story time. He draws you in with his intensity and gets you hooked on to his lecture. He's the most interesting and intriguing man I've run across on UK's campus. Go to class, take notes when you can, read all the books. He's a challenge but really makes you love the class. Highly recommend! =]]

His lectures are entertaining and extremely informative. Pay attention, take good notes, and you don't have to read the text book. You still do have to read the side books for recitations and papers though. Grading is solely done by your TA, which means difficulty is hit or miss based on which TA you are randomly assigned. Overall, learned a lot.

Dr. Summers is a great professor. His entertaining lectures make what could be a very boring class really interesting. Take notes and go to lectures, even though you will still need to read the textbook to study for exams. Your TA does all the grading, so its important to learn what kind of grader the TA is. Overall great class, teacher, and TA.

amazing professor take him if you can!

Tests purely on lecture material. Take good notes and you will be fine. Lecture style can be scattered. Uses loads of media to make class enjoyable. Final paper is based on readings. Test questions are tough to decipher at times. Detective assignments can be hard, but he grades on effort, not accuracy. Great class! Hilarious Prof!

Wonderful professor! He is very energetic and makes lectures entertaining. Gives study guides for exams and has exam reviews but ONLY if you ask him to have one. TAs are the ones who do the grading so make sure you have a decent TA. I loved his class and would definitely recommend it to anyone

He made history interesting, best teacher I have had so far.

Great teacher! He is very energetic and makes lectures entertaining. I took his class for both 108 & 109 because I enjoyed his class so much. The TAs are the ones who do the grading so make sure you have a decent TA, they determine your grade. I loved his class and would definitely recommend it to anyone

He can sometimes go off the outline, but he is very knowledgable about his stuff. His test aren't really that hard either. I would recommend everyone to take him at some point in their college career.

Dr. Summers lectures were very interesting and animated, but I probably would not take another of his classes. His exams are a lot of work, as are his detective assignments. He asks questions in a very vague way, so you never know exactly what he is asking and when preparing for exam essays I always felt like I was missing something.

There is a reason that I work my scheduled around Summers for each semester and that is because he is one of the best teachers and lecturers in the history department.

Great! Knows the history and tells it with a very animated fashion that helps bring history to life. I will base my schedule on what classes he is teaching. I suggest him for all American History students, might be a bit out there for people with no interest in US History. His test were all essay, readings were tested & neither too hard or easy.

Dr. Summers is perhaps one of the most knowledgeable professors at UK. He is very eccentric, but his lectures are intriguing and his intelligence is uncanny. Great choice for any UK student.

I was really nervous at first because I heard Dr. Summers was hard, which he is, but he is the best professor in UK's history department. I definitely recommend him for at least one class at UK and I wish I could have him again.

I liked the class. I thought his lectures were interesting and fun. The TA's seemed to do most of the actual grading but if you mess up there are opportunities to redo a test and each paper. He's one of my favorite professors so far.

Seriously loved Summers, easily one of my favorite teachers I have ever had, if you go to UK take this class.

Totally improvised lectures and no Bb site make attendance absolutely mandatory. Very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. This 500 level class felt like a 200 level, sadly. Very kind and respectful of students. The course's structure felt loose and vague, even with the syllabus. I love him, I just wish the class was more serious and informative.

Dr. Summers is hands down the most exciting lecturer I've had in college. I went to class, not because I needed to for an A (you don't need to), but because he is more entertaining than than skipping class to watch TV. If you enjoy history, you need to experience Dr. Summers at least for a semester.

Exciting lectures! funny guy who plays music for you and makes sure you're listening. Tests are medium hard but require a lot of studying

Dr. Summers is a really great professor who knows what he's talking about. The first twenty minutes or so of every lecture are sometimes information that you probably don't need to remember or write down. Basically, if it's not on his lecture outline, then don't worry about it; he's just setting the context for you. He's very fair and very good.

This class is a history class so be ready for reading and writing, but Dr. Summers is one of the best lecturers in the department. He is very amendment about his subject and if you even remotely like history, you will be completely engrossed in his speeches.

Dr. Summers is incredible. A must-take-professor for anyone at UK. He is an asset to UK. He is super funny, super smart, and oh-so-awesome.

This was the most interesting class i've ever taken and would recommend taking this professor. If you do the work and go then you will definitely have an A. You don't even really need textbook. The best thing for me was having the outline he gives on my computer and then typing whatever i could get down in a different colored text that went along

Dr. Summers is definitely one of my favorite professors I've had during my three year of college. His lectures are interesting and he makes you want to learn the material. You can tell that he is a very educated individual and I highly recommend this class. He provides excellent resources that help you succeed in this class.

A friendly, knowledgeable professor who likes to teach and makes classes enjoyable.

One of the best History professors I have ever had! Extremely knowledgeable and makes class super fun! Always puts 110% into everything he does and is hilarious. Keeps you attention for the entire class. I would HIGHLY recommend! If I could take him again I would!!

Dr. Summers is hilarious and his lectures are like a narrative, very entertaining and informative with beautiful pictures which he ties into the theme of the course very well. One essay, two exams, and small "detective" assignments (which are fun)! He is friendly and is passionate about the history of the West. You MUST read the three books to pass

Summer's is extremely into history! He lectures long and uses a PowerPoint, so you may want to go get the PowerPoints he puts at the library for more notes. DO NOT PLAGIARIZE! He takes that very seriously. Tests are made up of a lot of concepts so you might want to study days before because you can't cram for it the night before. Great lectures!

Such an enthusiastic and entertaining professor who knows his stuff! But lectures are hard to follow. If you are taking this class for a History related major, Summers is great, but for non-majors the class (papers, outside readings, keeping up) can be too time consuming to be worth it.

Dr. Summers is able to clearly convey information about his subject, and he makes an effort to include everyone in the class. He is accessible, kind, quirky, and funny. He structures his class so that as long as you listen in class and do the reading, you will assuredly succeed. He does not post information on Canvas, though, which is inconvenient.

Even if you hate history any course Dr. Summers teaches is a must! His lectures are witty, funny, poetic, and packed full of information. He plays music, parts of movies, and displays hundreds of often funny pictures, all tying into the theme of the lecture. I can't give enough praise of his lectures. Just pay attention and you will succeed.

Dr. Summers is the best professor I have ever had and probably will ever have. He is an eccentric storyteller and very passionate about History as well as students learning it. He has a review session before each exam. If you don't finish the exam in the class time, he will take you somewhere else to let you finish.

Took U.S. History 2 Spring of 1995. I remember he had unique prespectives on the 60's since he went to UC Berkley around then, and he said something about the counterculture not trusting you unless you had a mustache. Played interesting music daily, but remember it not on tests. Required Vietnam and WWII Novels to read. Was an interesting class.

This class was really tough, but good at giving lectures. He talks very fast, but he presents the material in a way that keeps you engaged. As long as you study, you will do fine.

Dr. Summers is an amazing professor! He is very passionate & enthusiastic about his job. Attendance is not taken in lectures but you should never skip because he covers a lot of information you need to know for exams. There are only 2 exams, a final, and 3 essays to make up your grade. If you even slightly like history you should take his class

He is hilarious. He lectures as if it is a story which is kind've interesting to listen to. The tests are definitions and essays, all written. He does give you all of the possible questions before hand as a study guide. If you raise your hand and ask for a review session, he'll make one. On the last day he dressed up as a colonist. Real Gem.

His lectures are fantastic.

His lectures can seem a but unorganized at times, but are always entertaining and interesting.

Doctor Summers is by far the best professor i have ever had. I enjoyed coming to his lectures to hear the story we turns history into. He includes stories of historical characters and music to bring history to life. He is very passionate about his job and you can easily see he enjoys what he does. After his last lecture the entire class clapped.

It makes me sad to discover that Dr. Summers has only been ranked as a 3.8 bc he's a 5.0. He's extremely passionate & absolutely hilarious. His exams are manageable, if you study. The course isn't extremely reading heavy. KEEP TRACK OF KEY TERMS THROUGHOUT THE SEMESTER. If you keep track of those terms, you will learn and easily pass the exams.

Professor Summers is very passionate and knowledgeable about everything you will learn about during the semester. The exams are pretty difficult and you have to read 3 books and write papers to go along with them but that is the same across most history classes at UK. Although it was difficult I would not have taken any other professor.

I had the privilege of taking Dr Summers decades ago at UK during my undergrad. I never appreciated how fantastic he was until years later. One of the most amazing professors I've ever taken. He's a treasure.

Dr. Summers is very passionate about the topics he teaches and expects you to follow the story line he presents in class on exams and papers. If you go to class and pay attention you will do fine on the exams. Make sure you do the required readings well in advance! He is happy to host review sessions but you have to ask for them in class!

The best professor i've had by far, and im not a history major. His lectures will amaze you, but you need to take notes. He will give you all the time you require for the exams. Take his course once and you will remember him forever.

I could truly only describe the people that rated this angel poorly, as morons. The same can be said for people who did not get a B or above. Dr. Summers tried his absolute best to make the class as fun and entertaining as possible. I stopped attending lectures after the first month, and only read the text book. Made an A+.

This professor is amazing. His lectures are told like story and he incorporates so many visuals. He is such a funny person and cares for his students. There are lectures every class and essay assignments but if you truly enjoy history you should be fine.

The best history professor at UK! His lectures are so enthusiastic and well put together, you really learn a ton

My favorite professor this semester. I enjoyed his lectures, he finds a way to make them interesting by running around the lecture hall and jumping on the desk. If you ask he will give VERY helpful review sessions for the exams. If you start early (two- week and a half early) you will do fine on the exams if you study. I highly recommend this class

Dr. Summers is an excellent professor, but I mostly relied on the book for learning. I missed lecture for the majority of the semester because I personally felt that it wasn't supplemental to my learning, but I still received an A on all of my exams and papers. If you study hard and put in the work outside of class, you will be fine.

Dr. Summers is an amazing history professor- but you should only be taking history courses if you love it! They are hard and comprehensive. Summers is an amazing narrator but you may struggle if you can't take notes without words on the screen. Read the books and attend lectures for the best experience .

I loved summers for the lower level history classes, but the colonial course i took was much different. The class had little structure, he didn't post anything to canvas, and everything relied upon a couple exams and a paper. I found it really hard to follow along because it just felt like a story the whole time. 5 stars cuz i love him tho

Mr. Summers is very passionate about history, and that makes his class more enjoyable. However, do not take this class if you are looking for an easy elective. There is a lot of outside reading and papers that are about the readings. There are 3 exams including the final that include a mixture of the readings and the class material.

Makes lectures really entertaining, but it can be difficult to take notes if you're someone who solely relies on what is on-screen because he doesn't put much on his slides and he can go fast at times. Asks you to read a handful of books and write essays on them and at the time it kind of felt like a drag but I learned a lot.

Dr. Summers is very interesting and involved in his lectures! Never a boring moment. However, he does grade based on detail and does not let a lot of things slide. Overall, if you do the work he assigns, you will pass easily.

Doctor Summers is an incredible professor and lecturer. He brings to life American history. As a freshman, he assigned a lot of work that I didn't want to do such as 3 papers, and two midterms. Overall great class! He is very pleasant.

This class is a lot of work for a 108 class. There are probably about 6-7 papers, two midterms, and a final exam. It's definitely not an easy A but it's manageable if you put in the work and have a good concept of History. The textbook is "required" but I got easily through the course without opening it once. Dr Summers is a great guy and lecturer.

The TA I was assigned at first was not good. They were an awful grader. However, I discussed my issue with Dr. Summers and he helped me transfer to another TA who I bonded with better than the one before. The class work isn't hard, you just have to know what you are writing about and read the books. Attend the lectures- he offers extra credit.

He pretty much just talks the whole time with powerpoints full of pictures so if you're a visual learner it kinda stinks. A bit of advice for notes is to focus on all the class's terms that he gives you on the first day of class.

He's a great professor! Only thing is that he talks fast, but all the powerpoints are online on canvas!

Dr. Summers is hilarious and I wish I had taken advantage of interacting with him individually earlier in the semester. He was super enthusiatic about the material and students that show an eagerness to learn. He offers a lot of preperation sessions for exams which are extremely helpful. I would love to find a reason to take another class with him!

Dr. Summers is a really funny and smart guy, and he's very passionate about history. But note-taking can be tricky because he just talks the entire time with PowerPoints full of pictures. Based on the exams, it seems best to focus on the list of terms he gives you. There are weekly assignments which aren't hard as well.

He keeps class fun and enjoyable the entire time. If you miss a class however, you have to take your own time to do learn the missed information because it's very lecture heavy. His exams are always identification of terms, short essay questions, and a long essay. The study guides have so many terms and you have to learn ALL of the them.

Professor Summers is one of the funniest professor, yet, it comes with a cost. He's very passionate and tends to go on tangents, making it hard to understand. He posts the slides on Canvas so you don't need to go to class. We had to "read" 4 books and write 4 essays along with 3 exams. I think this class is an easy B but a hard A.

Dr. Summers was a sweet man who cared about his students. His lectures are hard to follow. He talks fast and crams a lot of information into one lecture. He does post the powerpoints though! As long as you put the effort in and study, this class should be pretty easy!

Very passionate professor who knows what he is talking about. Be prepared to read because there are multiple books with papers that go with them. Exams are only open response so you do need to look at study guides and materials he gives you. Your TA will either make or break this class for you. ASK FOR REVIEW SESSIONS BEFORE EXAMS!!

Super funny guy, lectures could be better, I never listened to his lectures and only went off his slides and I found that easier, only a few assignments and exams are graded so make sure you know the material

Professor Summers is passionate but can get sidetracked. Lectures are tricky, but slides and study tools like Unstuckstudy make it manageable. Focus on the material, and you'll do well despite the harsh grading.

Dr. Summers (Big Man) teaches a class that is super easy to pass. You just have to attend the lectures (he does put things in Latin on the slides- attendance isn't mandatory, but you won't pass if you don't go). Do the detective assignments- don't worry about reading the book. He never mentions it in class. he talks fast- be prepared to write!

Dr. Summers teaches history as if he lived it. He is passionate about his work and has a great desire to pass his knowledge on to his students.

Somehow manages to make lectures about England's thatch roof industry incredibly entertaining. Super energetic and engaging, very knowledgable! He gives you plenty of opportunity to succeed and is very kind to his students.

This class is a class that you have to work very hard in, but if you go to the lecture and take good notes, you will do fine! He is such a fun person to listen to, during lectures he sounds like he's narrating a movie! There is a lot of reading- I just use the textbook for the index and glossary definitions lol, everything else I get from lectures.