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He was very entertaining and made lecture interesting.

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Fun and personable.

My favorite professor in all four years. Such love and energy for his work, and tells great stories!

Although I took his class my freshman year ('98/'99), the fact that I remember it being really good & that I remembter his name should speak for itself!

He is a GREAT professor that made class very interesting!!

don't really know the teacher, all you need is to read the textbook and look over his notes that he posts online, you go in and own the exam...

Tom is a great teacher, mostly because he makes the class extremely easy. Lectures were entertaining and I never had to read the book. Just review your lecture notes and you'll be fine.

sweet

It's nice because he posts the lecture notes online and they are very thorough. Also, it is not as important to read the textbook as it is to read the small readings and the novels that are assigned. He usually puts information from the book in lecture notes. If you look at the notes and read most of the material, going to class is unecessary.

Awesome professor. Really funny and a great lecturer. Made the class one of the best of the year. Take this class with him if you have the chance.

Great lecturer. He definitely keeps you interested with stories and pictures of anthropological trips he's made in the past. Plus with all multiple choice exams that stick to his lecture slides, missing a decent amount of classes is not a problem. He'll tell you the first day this class will boost your GPA.

He is the best professor I have had in my time at Michigan. Brilliant story teller, great lecturer, you don't even realize you are learning.

I took this class because I needed an RE credit, but I'm so glad I did! The class is interesting and Fricke is an awesome lecturer and great storyteller.

tells interesting stories, tests are pretty easy

Easy class and a GPA boost...his stories are interesting

Professor Fricke is amazing! He is a wonderful story teller, and I learned a lot about the human condition! I'm thinking of changing my major from Psych to Anthropology...enough said!!!

The class is amazing. The bad comments earlier are from people who just want to memorize easy answers. Fricke makes you think --anthropology is as much philosophical as it is about just information. He is cool and his stories make you think in new ways if you care to listen.

I really enjoyed Prof. Fricke. He is interesting and I love his Nepal stories. I didn't know that I enjoyed anthro until I took this class. Not much work and non-cum exams straight from the studies sheet, but my GSI was a tight grader on the two short essays.

very cool, interesting, and makes lectures fun. great stories!

Class is awesome and his stories are interesting. He tries to make the class more than just a "straight-out-of-the-book-definitions" class, and he gives out great study guides.

Interesting lectures. Honestly, you don't HAVE to read the textbook to get an A on the exam, because you'll still learn a lot through the lectures and lecture notes.

SUCH a GOOD professor! What an amazing class, very informative. Taught me to open my eyes to the world around me. His lectures are incredibly interesting, always engaging. I seriously wish I was majoring in anthro just to get to see him more often. TAKE this class if you care about humanity and social existence!

This professor is an amazing teacher! He is also so nice and helpful when you go to his office hours. I definately recommend taking this class.

A great professor!

He is awesome!! I would highly recommend this class. He really, really wants to see his students succeed. The average in our class was high and he was thrilled. He wants to give everyone in the class an A. I would definitely take a class with him again!

Fricke is crazed! This class is easy. Seriously do the reading and look at the review sheets and you'll get an A. He really wants to see his students get A's. And he is entertaining in lecture. SOOOO many interesting (and hilarious) stories. A really fun class, but discussion section seemed like 3rd grade social studies. 2 5-page papers.

Fricke is sooooo easy. Lecture is not necessary but really funny to listen to in class. He has the BEST stories!! Just go over the review sheet he gives you, looking up all the words and you should get an A! Papers aren't too bad either. Don't really need to read much to do well.

Fricke is really cool and the class is a joke. Lectures are completely pointless and have nothing to do with the tests. Just study his review sheet before the tests and you will be fine. I never went to lecture and still got an A. Dont bother doing the story readings either, he tells u everything u need to know from them before hand. Easy A.

I didn't buy two of the books we were supposed to read, and wrote two papers on them - got As on both of them. I studied the night before every exam for about 2 hours, and got As. The only reason to actually attend class is to listen to his stories (or read the paper).

Amazing. He has long hair and wears vests and jeans to class...and he doesnt even care. The best favorite professor i may ever have.

Fricke admits on day one that everyone should get an "A" in the class. It's a great class and Fricke is beyond entertaining (the brothel story is trumped by none). I only bough one book and got and "A" so no worries there. Just watch out, some of the GSIs think he's a bit of a joke and try to complicate the class.

Fricke is a great professor. He is extremely funny and passionate. I definitely recommend this class and Fricke. The class isn't very hard, but you learn some interesting concepts that you can apply to life and to other concentrations. ENJOY!

Tom Fricke is probably the most entertaining professor I've had at the "U" so far, bringing what would otherwise be a dull intro class alive with his numerous stories. Besides being a great way to fill the R&E requirement, Fricke's ANTHRCUL 101 really makes you question your assumptions and come to better understand the human condition.

Good guy, fun to draw pictures of during lecture. Lots of comic sans in the powerpoints.

This was a really interesting class, and Fricke was an amazingly entertaining and passionate professor. I disagreed with a lot of his hollistic banter, though, and his condemnation and innacurate portrayal of reductionism. It'd be fun to meet him in a coffee shop some day and argue about it.

Don't recommend this class. Topics covered are so ambiguous and idealized, way too conceptual. The class isn't as easy as you'd think either. You really do have to do the readings and the exam q's aren't straight forward at all. Paper topics are also very ambiguous. Fricke's entertaining but I just didn't like the material of this class.

Nice guy. Funny during lectures, but it's hard to figure out what to learn from lectures because he just tells a lot of stories. If you do the study guide before the exam and go to most of the lectures, you will most likely get an A. Reading the ethnographies might be a good idea too, nothing else really though...

I think Fricke is the funniest,most passionate, and interesting prof i've had at michigan.Anthro is a great class, and you learn alot about the notion of "being human" and what this encompasses.This class is SO easy.THe midterms were a joke: go over the study guide for an hour and you're pretty much guaranteed an A.Plus, lecture is hilarious

Anthrcul 101 is by far the easiest class on campus when taught by Fricke. The ethnographies are somewhat interesting from what I've heard, I didn't read a single page of any of the three. Discussion attendance is mandatory, but useless. The lecture is ALL you need for this class. If you really don't want to go, just download lecture slides for an A

I loved this class. Not only was it thought provoking, but I felt that I learned a lot about humanity. I am even a little tempted to become an anthropologist....there life sounds pretty great

Easy A. Great class. You don't need to go to lecture.

Fricke is one of the best professors i've had at michigan!! he's so passionate about what he teaches, and he makes class fun to go to with all of his stories. this class actually made me decide to choose anthropology as my minor! it's so interesting and it taught me so many new perspectives on the world. i definitely recommend fricke! easy A too :)

Fun class. Teaches you how to think like an anthropologist rather than just focusing on the vocab and techniques. Warning: don't write anything negative or he will show it to the class and make fun of you!

Prof Fricke makes a specific effort to know students well, even in a class of 500. He remembered my name after speaking with me once. He stayed in office hours for two hours once, telling me stories about his years as an anthropologist. He find the good in every person and is willing to give, give, and give. A clear, generous, vibrant heart(mind).

Prof. Fricke is an excellent teacher, and very passionate about his work. I don't believe there is such a thing as an "easy A" at UofM, so doing the reading and attending every lecture was a must for me.Section, however, was poorly organized and a complete waste of time- I used it to catch up on my email and make fun of the idiot freshmen around me

Fricke was great. He was super easy and very helpful. He also picked great GSIs. He told a lot of funny stories and was entertaining. I knew I never had to go to lecture, but I actually wanted to go. Also, he reads these ratings and his reactions are funny.

very easy class, gives excellent review before lecture. i didnt particularly care for his presentation of the subject matter - hes a nice guy but goes off on boring tangents that dont really have much to do with the class. easy A, boring class.

Kind,generous,helpful, open-minded....thank Professor Fricke

Fricke is awesome. Lecture isnt mandatory for the exam but his stories in the field draw you in for more and more! Kind of addicting...lol...he's nice and very open-minded...Hates the jeans he wear though. One of my fav profs. Really knows his stuff! Trust. Anthro is now my minor thanks to him!

coolest guy in the entire world. i loved going to class just because he was such an awesome professor and had great stories. the class is veryyy easy if you do the readings and attend at least 2/3 lectures per week. this was my favorite class i have taken so far at this school.

He's absolutely unreal. Best professor I've ever had. Take as many classes with him as possible - the smaller classes are better than 101. All around fantastic guy. :)

Kind, compassionate, insightful, hilarious professor, who tells wonderful stories of Nepal and its people! We read approximately four novels, discussed, and then wrote three takehome exams (papers) 5-6 pages each in length. Also, wrote three open book quizzes. A super fun class and reasonable work load!

Anthropology is my minor now thanks to Fricke!

Easiest class I have ever taken, and interesting too. Fricke is a great alternative guy. But do not listen to him when he tells you you need his buddy Kottak's latest edition of the textbook. He outright lied; not once did we use the text book's new features, you can get an older version for a fraction of the price. Most people rarely read anyway

Easiest class I have ever taken, and interesting too. Fricke is a great alternative guy. But do not listen to him when he tells you you need his buddy Kottak's latest edition of the textbook. He outright lied; not once did we use the text book's new features, you can get an older version for a fraction of the price. Most people rarely read anyway

Warning- Professor Fricke admits to creating fake reviews on this site! His class is really easy, though, although horribly boring. You don't need to go to lecture, and before each exam he provides with a detailed outline of what you need to study. Easy A for sure.

Prof. Fricke is a charismatic guy, very easy to listen to, and not afraid to deviate from his powerpoints...he actually knows what he's talking about, and is experienced in his subject. I love his stories about Nepal, where he did his fieldwork. The workload is easy and the class is a good one. Definitely take a class with Fricke.

Fricke's hilarious! He loves to tell stories and lecture is fun. He is happy that his class is an easy A; he wants you to do well. He really does tell the best stories...take his class!

Good teacher, clear, concise and interesting

utterly useless class for a international student from India, as its**** you already know. never went to lecture, didn't buy any of the books, still got an easy A+(50/50). just go to his before exam review session, and that's all the study you need. if you wanna be xtra safe, just skim the slides, that have good stories though!! best UM prof ever

and im pretty sure hes gonna show the previous comment, in class on friday and complain about that. but in reality hes such a nice guy that hes pleased that we are all doing so well!!

BEST TEACHER EVER! Interesting lectures that you absolutely will not want to skip.

Great Professor! The class isn't hard if you attend lecture and read the material. He wants everyone to do well and his passion for the subject shows. You actually learn a a lot too. He makes me want to come to lecture because of how interesting his talks are.

Fricke is a nice guy. That being said, the class is not very interesting to me at all. I like hearing his stories, but anthropology in general is not at all interesting, and it doesn't seem like we learn much useful information. It's a pretty easy class though. I haven't attended one lecture yet and I expect to get an A-/A.

Fricke is the best! You may read a lot of comments about how useless or easy this class is, and in a way that could be true. It all depends on your attitude and how you look at it. Which is what this class is all about. Sure, I didn't memorize a million definitions, but I've learning something bigger, something that i can apply to life! :)

Literally this class is easy. Fricke is so awesome, and he's really nice... but no one ever went to lecture. I went to lecture probably 5 times all semester and ended up with an A. You have 2 papers and 2 tests, 4 days of studying for 4 credits - take this class.

he is so awesome. this teacher is seriously amazing and his class is really fun. i actually enjoyed going. hes hilarious too and so down to earth. i definitely recommend this class to anyone. also really easy, but thats just another great thing about the course. overall it is really worth it!

By far, one of the best professors at the University of Michigan. Why he has not won a "Golden Apple" award is beyond comprehension. Absolutely outstanding!

Very nice guy, encourages attendance at his office hours even though he has 400 Anthro students. Lectures are by no means necessary. He mostly tells stories about his experiences in Asia. I went once every two weeks, printed off the lecture notes from Ctools that he types for you, and got As on the exams. Very fun guy...the material not so much

Dr. Fricke is an amazing professor. I went to almost every lecture because I wanted to hear about his experiences and viewpoints. He's so passionate about the subject, and it's evident in his lectures. He always encourages students to come to office hours and holds extremely helpful exam reviews. I would definitely take him for another course!

Awesome prof. Hilarious lectures, interesting stories, and an easy A as long as you pay some kind of attention in class. If you are going to take Anthro 101 take it with Fricke!

Professor Fricke is one of the most interesting guys here...he loves talking to students and his stories are really funny. If you love to actually learn, not just memorize information, this class is perfect because he is mostly concerned with students gaining worldliness through what he has experienced. Its an amazing class.

Fun guy. You can tell he's really interested in his work, and I enjoyed that even though anthropology bores me to death. I hated going to discussion and rarely went to lecture because I could get by using the study guides or power points before an exam. Boring class, but super easy.

Pretty easy class if you actually try. Go to his lectures and force yourself to pay attention. Also, if you attend all of his review sections you'll be golden. He teaches every other year, so don't be surprised if you do not see him on your course guide. GO BLUE.

The information presented is beneficial and comprehensible. Professor Fricke is one of the best profs I have had at UMich thus far. His lectures are both informative as well as entertaining, make sure to go to them! He is very helpful in telling students what to expect on exams and also provides several review sessions. Take this class!

This class should be renamed for what it truly is: Underwater Basket Weaving 101. Absolute joke.

Fricke is the best teacher I have ever had. He is interesting and has a lot of amazing stories to tell. Class is almost always fun and entertaining. The books read for class are interesting and teach great lessons. Take this class!

I am in love with this man. He is seriously one of the greatest people I've ever met in my life. I wish he was the president, no joke. lol okay, about the class, I really dislike how people keep saying it's not practical..I seriously think that this is the last opportunity we will have to learn to live life properly and what is money without life??

While this class didn't seem very practical, Tom was a fun guy and the class was relatively easy if you attend lecture regularly and read the books. He has fun stories to relate to the subject of the day and he often ends up using his story on the exam. He gives a review guide for both of the hourly exams which makes studying for them really easy.

Going to all lectures is not a must but helps a little when studying for the exams and two essays, graded with a median being of about a B+...Overall class grade average is A-/B+...If you attempt to go to lecture/attend his office hours before the exams you will easily get the A in the class.

Going to all lectures is not a must but helps a little when studying for the exams avg around A-...Theres two essays, graded with a median being of about a B+...Overall class grade average is A-/B+...If you attempt to go to lecture/attend his office hours before the exams you will easily get the A in the class.

Tom is the greatest! We read some of the most interesting books and watch some really great documentaries. If you are lucky enough to take a class with this guy, do it, you won't regret it and it is an easy A.

Very fun guy

You'll find that you don't need to go to lecture to do well in the class, but you will go anyways because Professor Fricke is one of those professors that only comes around once in a while. Just do yourself a favor and take this class.

He was awesome, he just wanted students to learn what he had to offer instead of making them do a ton of difficult work. Really, a fabulous class with an amazing prof.

First, Fricke is an amazing professor with enthusiasm and funny stories. However, this class is a joke. I got an A simply by reading the online slides and going to the review lectures. The class contains common knowledge for any college level student. Reading is "required." Discussions give away all the answers from the exam, so don't even bother.

Professor Fricke is certainly very passionate and enthusiastic about anthropology. He's also quite approachable and fun to talk to if you're interested in going to office hours.

Professor Fricke is great. He's interactive, funny, and values interesting and dynamic lectures. This is a great class to take- easy A. The tests are extremely straightforward and if you attend review sessions you will be golden. I found the assigned readings to not be very necessary to be successful in the class.

Great teacher. Cares about student. Go to review sessions and you'll be fine.

This guy is amazing, take this class with him. He is an easy A, just read through the material a couple days before the exam and you should be fine.

Prof Fricke really cares about his students and wants you to pass. Go to office hours if you can because he's a really cool guy and the review sessions before tests will be a godsend. Lectures aren't mandatory but he's a good speaker and although it's an easy A, its a fun course

Tom Fricke wants you to get an A. He makes that clear in the beginning and puts your concerns at ease. My GSI gave us the exam questions in a review session for class, so I would say this class was an easy A.

Professor Fricke is the most passionate lecturer you will ever meet. You will leave this class with a deep appreciation for cultural anthropology and humans in general. Fricke tells a lot of interesting stories about his fieldwork in Nepal and Nebraska. Study guides are given for exams. Grade is based partially on a photo project. Go to lecture!!

Fricke is absolutely incredible. Obviously--he's an ENFP. He knows Nepali and tells captivating stories about his work in the himalaya. His class feels like book club on crack. God, just an overall fantastic human. Always left discussion with a happy heart-mind.

Tom is hilarious, and his lectures are so much fun. You can tell he is really passionate about his work and people in general. Class was so easy it was not necessary to show up, but I always did just to hear him speak of all his adventures in ethnography and make dad jokes.

TAKE IT WITH FRICKE. You are literally given the exam questions before the exam and it is the exact same!!!! Got a 100 on the last test. Dont need to show up for lectures, but he is super funny and tells great stories about his work in Nepal, so its worth it. If ur looking for the easiest A, this is the class you want.

Easy A. I like that he talked a lot about his fieldwork as it made it easier for me to understand the material. Exams are super easy and he provides a study guide. Tends to talk a lot about his political views, but I took it during midterm elections.

This was the easiest course ever. Fricke wants you to do well and as long as you look over the study guide and practice exam, it's hard to not do well. His lectures are filled with stories about his fieldwork in Nepal and he's a very entertaining guy. You can still do well in the class if you skip lectures but I think Fricke makes them worth going

Easiest class i have taken at UM. The exams took a majority of the class about 15-20 minutes if you looked at the practice exam he gave you!!! He's so interesting to listen to and you could tell he's extremely passionate about his work which made lectures so enjoyable and fun. I highly recommend taking this class!!!!

Such an easy class. Exams were exactly like the practice exam given and I didn't have to show up to lecture. He's also a great guy and I went to office hours just to chat with him.

Prof. Fricke is amazing. He is hilarious and tells great, interesting stories. Practice exams are the actual exams, but Fricke doesn't give the answers directly (he will if you ask him). If you have the option, TAKE THIS CLASS!

Tom Fricke is one of those professors you will never, ever forget. I found myself coming to every single lecture even though none of them were mandatory simply because he is quite possibly the most entertaining person on the planet. Tom cares so much about his students and I became quite good friends with him through office hours. 100/10 recommend

Fricke is the man. Entire class probably took five hours of studying for the entire semester. I think he may be retiring, but if not, take this class if you can fit it in.

Good professor