Michael Rosenthal

As part of the last class Mr. Rosenthal taught before his retirement from Columbia, I agree wholeheartedly with the previous reviews in many respects--his brilliant (and not far-fetched, as I often find) insights into literature, his wonderful wit, etc. However, I'm writing this review not only to add my praise but to disagree with a trend in the previous reviews: that Mr. Rosenthal teaches his own opinion and isn't open to others. He often spoke about different interpretations of a text, and as we formed judgments about the books both individually and as a class, it was as part of an intellectual journey, not due to the ruling word of a teacher. The class discussions were so lively that people would voice many different opinions, and Mr. Rosenthal would sometimes mention that he agreed or disagreed, or elaborate on the topic, but as one of the discussion, not as a supreme authority. That's really what made the difference for me--participating in a discussion with Mr Rosenthal was like talking to a friend, in the sense that your friends can disagree with you about the meaning of the Iliad without sounding dictatorial because your opinions are of equal worth. When Mr. Rosenthal disagreed with me, I didn't feel "shot down," just that I was part of the conversation. He also isn't stern about his opinions and the class was friendly, so that if he thinks you're completely wrong, it…

While Prof. Rosenthal is undoubtedly an intelligent man, the class left me feeling not completely satisfied. While the reading list is incredible, almost every discussion begins with "I liked this novel because.." or "I didn't like it at all." At times I felt like he could've drawn us in to discuss thematic issues or technique in greater depth, but instead I often felt like we lingered on superficial sparknote-esque analysis.

Wow, the best professor I've yet had (and probably will have) here at Columbia. Unfortunately, he is retiring this year, so this is more a tribute than a review. Plus, I want him to win back his Golden Nugget, as he 100% deserves it. All I can say is that he was an absolutely phenomenal teacher; always clear and engaging. He is brilliant and lets the students lead the discussion, grading heavily (and holistically) based on participation (he equates it to about 40% or more, though again, he said he does not grade quantitatively). Papers for his class don't need to be intense, just clear, concise, insightful, and though-provoking. He removes a few books from the syllabus and switches them out for a few of his own choices (the Bacchae, Faust Pt 1, Gulliver's Travels, and Benito Cereno are some), and they're all fantastics picks. He's always interesting, and usually quite funny (our class compiled an entire booklet of quotations as a retirement present), and he is endowed with the greatest of common sense. We read through the course quite quickly, which at times became overwhelming, but in those cases I could still get by in class discussion with Sparknotes. It's a tradeoff, because had we moved slower, we would've been able to enjoy some of books more, but we also wouldn'tve had such great discussions and read his supplementary books, which were usually better. Some, such as Meta…

At first, I found Prof. Rosenthal a little intimidating; he sometimes shoots down comments or just ignores them completely. However, Professor Rosenthal really grew on me, and I realized how nice it was to have a professor that actually respects his students enough to call them out when they are obviously wrong or rambling about something. He also has a wry sense of humor that made the class amusing. Professor Rosenthal really just wants to help students improve their prose and explore the texts (and not in a cliff notes-type way). I ended up thinking he was a really nice and insanely intelligent guy. That said, I sometimes wished he would impart his insights a little more often. But it was a seminar class, so I can't really complain that he let students talk so often.

Wow. Truly a wonderful class with someone whose knowledge of these texts is extensive and consideration for his students admirable. DEFINITELY get into his class if you can.

A novel a week, short response paper ever other week, longer paper comparing multiple works at the end of the semester.

Michael Rosenthal is wonderful. Get him second semester if you can, and feel lucky if you're placed in his class from the get-go. His knowledge of the Lit Hum works is immense and is equaled only by his dry, wry wit. If you want his respect, try your best to engage honestly and humbly with the works on the syllabus, the issues they raise, and his perspectives on them; if you want to lose it, try to BS him. He is genuine and cares deeply about his students, however gruff he appears sometimes. Like the previous reviewer, I'm now a senior and am writing this because I think he deserves a gold nugget. In my time here I've only had a few professors comparable to him, and certainly none better than him. He is exactly what the core should be.

Book a week. Short paper (3-4 pages) every other week.

I know all the other reviews say this, but Rosenthal is without a doubt the best professor I've ever had. Having him for LitHum really makes the core not just worthwhile, but essential. He's been teaching at CU for around 40 years, but keeps teaching LitHum because he clearly has a real passion for the texts and his students. Also make sure to go to Rosenthal's office hours! He really makes an effort to form a relationship with everyone in the class, and you'll end up easily spending an hour talking about your experiences and hearing his stories from when he was associate dean of the College. My only complaint would be that he adds a lot of his own choice texts to the syllabus (make no mistake, they are terrific), so often the pace is a bit rushed. By the end of the course, you are reading narrative on a completely higher level, and have gained serious insights into human nature and timeless moral problems. If you get Rosenthal for LitHum, DO NOT CHANGE under any circumstances! Those who don't get him, do everything you can to switch in to him!

The best professor I've had at Columbia hands down, and I write this as a senior. I'm submitting a review purely to get this man the gold nugget he deserves because I feel that the past reviews are generally accurate. He's brilliant and funny in a rather dry, sly way. He can also tell you some amazing stories about Columbia's past, so go to his (very accessible) office hours and ask him a few questions. It is true that he isn't really open to alternative readings of the texts, but this has the benefit of giving class a trajectory rather than making it a wild goose chase. Inevitably, his interpretation will blow your mind and make you think about each and every work in a completely different way. This the quality stuff we came here for, folks. Take this incredible gift of a class and be part of the Rosenthal legacy.