A professor with great insight and a fantastic literary selection makes up for the somewhat lackluster discussion.

I cannot recommend this course enough! I had never read Tolstoy before taking the class, but Herman brings so much depth to every work and makes it incredibly interesting. He's also a Tolstoy expert, and he knows so much background information that contributes to the meaning of every work! He's the best possible person to take a Tolstoy course with, so take advantage of the opportunity. Homework is limited to readings, which vary in length (because Tolstoy's works vary in length), and the only assignments are the three papers (two timed, one not), which were all very manageable. Herman lets everyone participate in the discussions, but he guides them enough to cover enough ground. It's the only class I took last semester that I looked forward to, and I highly recommend it for anyone, regardless of major or experience reading Tolstoy. If I get the chance to take another class with him in the future, I absolutely will.