Bret Devereaux

Everett Wheeler seems to have invented the word "Lehnstuhlfeldherr" just so he could throw it at me in his obscenely nasty review of my bookhttps://twitter.com/NatalieZed/status/1391150397922889739 …

I only hope I can get my dissertation into book form quickly enough that Wheeler is still around to write a scathing review and call me names (in writing, rather than doing so in person, which he has already done).

In person? That is a story that needs telling!

E. Wheeler taught a course on Roman Warfare (split grad/undergrad) at UNC while I was finishing up my classes and preparing for my prospectus. At my advisor's advice, I used the opportunity to demo out a beta version of my dissertation's thesis to get feedback.

To be fair, the critiques were very helpful in thinking about the prospectus and the project. If there is a weakness in your argument, Wheeler will find it. But those critiques were delivered - to my face - in the traditional Wheeler manner.

I honestly find myself torn by Wheeler. On the one hand, his manner is very brusque and occasionally his critiques have a harshness I think steps over the line. On the other hand, there is a reward to be had for tolerating that brusqueness, given his mastery of the topics.