heavy is the mantel

English was my worst subject in high school, but I had a friend who did 3 unit English, and I remember him studying Such is Life by Joseph Furphy and Catch 22 by Joseph Heller. Only years later, having read Such is Life and knowing something about Catch 22, did I realize what a huge ask our English teachers were making in selecting those texts. I've known PhD students that found Such is Life challenging and I've had smart adult friends who didn't get Catch 22 at all.