Some Other Questions I Get Asked

I've just taken this space to answer some common questions I'm often asked. You can always contact me directly, regardless. There won't be anything here for items that are already on the main menu, however. If you're a prospective student, a current student, or if you looking for one of my how-to videos, look to the left.
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Why do you use your full name?

Because "Bruce Arnold" is a fairly common name. It's also the same name held by a famous Jazz Composer who will always show up in more "Bruce Arnold" web searches than me (rightfully so). My students kept finding his stuff online and couldn't find mine.
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Also, if there's a slight chance that someone would feel more comfortable studying with a Japanese- or Asian-American, my middle name helps me reach those people. I guess, in the same vein, that it would also help those who didn't want to study with a Japanese- or Asian-American, too. Everybody-a-happy!
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I'm considering going to one of the schools you've attended or at which you've taught, will you give me your opinion?

So as long as I have time, sure thing. There's no need to ask me about a couple of the universities at which I've taught (I won't name them directly since it doesn't necessarily profit me to do so), however. I mean... If I ate undercooked scrambled eggs off of a truckstop bathroom floor, would you really want to know so you could try it, or would you ask me out of sheer morbid curiosity? That's what I thought... (That being written, I have had several students who were a pleasure to work with at those schools--I hope you know who you are.)
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I have a book I'd like you to review for my [journal, etc.]. Will you do that?

I generally don't have problems doing this as long as I have the time.
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Can you serve as an external reader for [whatever your thesis/dissertation is].

Is cheesecake involved? If the answer is "yes," my answer is "probably so." Before ordering the cheesecake (vanilla bean or cookie dough), it's probably best to contact me after you've consulted your major adviser because the first thing I'll ask is "what does your major adviser think about the idea?" 
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Why do you write with people who aren't historians?

I'm a strong proponent of cross-discipline interaction at the academic level (see here for a little more information about this) and I would honestly take more degrees if I could and if I thought they would help me come up with more ideas about how the past was formed. Also, with the support for the humanities eroding  my belief is that academics in the future are going to be called upon to know more outside of the traditional fields as we know them.