David Herman is THE MAN when it comes to Russian literature. If you're not committed to doing at least the majority of the readings, I wouldn't take the class (kind of goes without saying). But his lectures are so enjoyable and thought-provoking if you come to class prepared. The way he lectures is a perfect hybrid of taking input from students, while guiding the discussion to get to the heart of each story. I will echo the other reviewer and say that it is fairly difficult to get an A. However, don't let that deter you from learning from one of the best professors at UVA. (I got an A- without that much stress)

Great professor. It's kind of hard to get an A because he doesn't really tell you upfront what he expects. The work load is pretty light, all you need to do is do the readings and go to class and listen. The coolest part about this class is that Herman is a world-class expert on many of these stories. Some of the stories you will read Herman has written books and articles on, so you won't get a better insight anywhere else.