About The Stuffy Professor

Do you……

  • Want to understand the great literary classics better, but have no idea where to start?
  • Wonder how literature from “back then” applies to everyday life?
  • Worry that the “great books” are just too complicated and difficult to understand?

Believe me, I’ve been there.

And it doesn’t have to be that way.

I believe that great literature isn’t just for fuddy-duddies, but that everybody (and every bunny) can understand it, apply it to their lives in very meaningful ways, and have fun with it too! 

Here’s What Some Former Students Say..

Prof Urban is inspiring…..[he] taught me so much more than just literary analytical skills; his class was in many ways an impactful lesson on life and faith. He is an extremely talented prof and you should definitely take his classes.

AN AMAZING PERSON AND AN AMAZING PERSONALITY. WHAT A GUY. PASSIONATE. LOVES SHAKESPEARE, RAD BRO 13/10

Professor Urban is a very solid person and professor. He has published over 20 articles and co-authored and edited several books. He is well-versed in his field and takes his classes very seriously. When I go to Urban’s classes I know that I will be challenged and that I will learn a great deal. His classes are scholarly but rooted in faith.

SOME OF MY QUALIFICATIONS

Full Professor – Calvin University
PhD – English from University of Illinois – Chicago
MDiv – Trinity International Divinity School
MA – University of Illinois – Chicago
BA – Northwestern University
Most importantly–Husband and Father of 2 great boys, and foster parent of a whole host of stuffies (with a higher than average number of penguins) 🐧

“We know what we are, but know not what we may be.” – Shakespeare

Imagine…..

Imagine you and your kids reading and actually understanding and enjoying some of the greatest books ever written.

Imagine you and your kids understanding references to Shakespeare, other great books, and even the Bible.

Imagine family movie nights where modern renditions of Shakespearean plays are actually a FUN thing to watch together.

These can all be a reality.

Join the Community

When you join the Stuffy Professor community, you’ll learn to understand, appreciate, and apply great literature to all of life
–and make some new furry friends in the process! 
You’ll also get my list of 10 Books That Every Bunny Should Read, plus occasional updates from me.

My Story From C Minus to English Lit Professor

My seventh-grade literature teacher, Mrs. Munski, awarded me a “C minus”  for my final quarter that year. In eighth grade, Miss Kingan gave me a “C” for our unit on poetry appreciation. In retrospect, I should thank them for letting me off easy. In any event, literature obviously wasn’t clicking for me.

But in the years ahead, something changed. I started laughing at the artistic daring (even zaniness) of E. E. Cummings’ poetry and experiencing the excitement of Odysseus’s adventures. And as I matured intellectually and spiritually, I was able to find truth and beauty in the writings of Shakespeare and many other great authors. Literature had truly come to life for me.

As a college literature instructor, part of my mission has been showing students literature’s enduring relevance to life. And as the homeschool father of two sometimes-distracted boys, stuffed animals and puppets have joined me to bring these lessons to life. Now, I hope to bring that passion and fun to your home as well. 

More Notes From Thankful Students

This a great class to take (especially with Urban). He will show you the connection between many of the “others” in British Literature, as well as draw many great life applications for students from the texts read.

Prof. Urban is easily the best professor I have taken at Calvin. He is a man of God who cares deeply for his students and he is passionate about what he teaches. His lectures are not boring; he is actually really funny and has a lot of good jokes and one-liners. He is helpful, clear, and sincere. Expect to learn a lot. Highly recommended.

Let’s Stay In Touch

Got something to share or a question to ask? I’d love to hear from you.

  • Email me at therealstuffyprofessor@gmail.com
  • Drop me a note via my Contact Form

Learning can be fun and the great books are called “great” for a reason. Let’s learn together how great they really are.

I look forward to seeing how they can bring greatness to your life just as they did to mine.