Fall - 2022 Incredible professor. His lectures are full to the brim with information. The assigned texts are engaging, and the professor always has a lot to add to them in the lecture. I think anyone who takes M104A with this professor will not be disappointed.

Workload: I found the weekly readings to be easy to get through because they were so interesting, both the midterm and final were short essays (based on the readings). Then there were weekly discussion posts for the discussion section.

Attendance: Attendance was not mandatory. He did not record attendance, but did record his lectures so you wouldn't miss anything! Same thing for the discussion, the TA did not record attendance but did not record the discussion. I definitely recommend going to discussion though because it goes above and beyond what we learn in lecture.

Textbook: You absolutely need the textbook for this class. Most, if not all the readings are from the textbook. There also does not seem to be an online pdf of it, so order the physical copy online ASAP!

One of the best professors that helps put into perspective the power of literature and its real-world implications outside of the text. He helped me understand the Black struggle in ways that I would not have otherwise understood if it were not for his class. Take him. It's not just a classroom.

Passionate about the subject and his students, but very difficult compared to other English professors.

I'm a science major who decided to take this class to complete a final English requirement during my last quarter, and it was one of the best classes I have ever taken-- no shade to my south campus classes, of course. Amazing class, amazing professor, semi-difficult exams and essays but overall the experience was a real treat. The readings are all insightful and engaging, as are Prof. Yarborough's lectures. Take this class when you can. If you don't learn something about yourself after doing all the readings and discussing them in class, I wouldn't know what to say to you.

Love Yarborough.

He is extremely knowledgable about his subject matter, and explains concepts in a straightforward manner without dumbing them down.

This is my fourth semester here, and Professor Yarborough is still my favorite professor at UCLA! His analysis of the societal implications of a work, its symbolism, and the stylistic maneuverings of its author were drawn with most powerful and interesting care. My brain would brim with thought and was impressed by the great emotional charge of each piece. As a plus, he offered a study session for the final, which is extremely generous of him and which no other professor has ever done. His final is very long; if you have an LD, contact OSD for proctoring. A note taker will also prove helpful… I really wish I could take this course over again! Take this class once you are accustomed to the quarter system – you will do more justice to it, and feel much better!

He is what you would expect from a college professor: knowledgeable, passionate, demanding, trying. His lectures encompass the historical data as well as the analysis of the texts themselves. Your grade is based on midterm, final, essay, and section participation. I have to say, the midterm is kind of grueling: identify 6 passages and write 1 & 1/2 pages analysis and close reading on them with a thesis statement supporting your close reading. He is really hard when it comes to grading though, with all honesty. My TA was from Stanford, like he is, and she was on his level so I was technically prepared for it but some other people, like 3/4 of the class, got burned really bad because they weren't used to his stinging hand and red pen. :D Overall, I think he is a decent, caring, compassionate human being who will listen to you, take questions from you and engage you. But it's not an easy A, I don't know what in UCLA is in the Upper Levels, and you will have to read. :)
Take it if you would like to learn something which you will carry for the rest of your life. I'm glad I did: the books, movies, and thoughts he incorporated in his lectures taught me a lot (not required to buy/watch).

One of the best professors I've had at UCLA in the three years I've been here. Class is not easy, but worth every penny. No filler material, just intelligent lectures and extremely detailed, helpful (even if you are a competent writer) grading of papers by the professor himself (not midterms/finals, though, those are done by the TA). Rare for a class of that size. I'm not an AA studies or an English major, and I loved this class, even though it was stressful at times.

On an aside...To the person below me who said "when I registered for this class, I was under the impression that it was called the "American Political Novel" NOT the "African-american concerns course...Out of 7 books assigned, 5 of them had to do with slavery and/or the civil rights movement. There is so much more that could have been covered but was overlooked by Yarbrough's interest in African-american history"

...I didn't take the same class you did, but isn't the American political novel focused on literature written around/about American political movements? How are the history of slavery and the civil rights movement in this country not specifically American political issues/movements? They are American concerns as well as African-American concerns. Maybe even basic human concerns, if you want to go there. It feels like you are implying that "African American (political) Concerns" are somehow not valid enough to be the focus of "The American Political Novel". Why not? I understand the concern that the class was mainly focused in one area, but, really, you should have looked up the professor before adding the course, figured out he was a prof in the AA studies department, put two and two together, and realized that his expertise and focus for the course was probably going to be in that area. After all, it's only a 10-week quarter...if they try to cram too many subjects in, every class would end up being a GE survey course. Then I might really have to drop out.

An effective teacher, and a very good lecturer. His lectures are very clear and will give you all the important points from the readings. It's not an easy A though, you have to keep up with the readings (there's a lot), and attend every lecture and take good notes. I recommend him