Why is it English cl is so unaccommodating to one's needs?

I am in grade 12 and have suffered the same problem every single year. Every year that I have ever taken English in, we do a "novel study". The thing is, with me, I am an idiot and find it very difficult to read most novels. I prefer non-fiction books over fiction, usually encyclopedias, atlases, and memoirs. The only novels I've ever clicked with are A Thousand Splendid Suns, The Russian Concubine, The Red Scarf, October, Angeline, and The Romanov Prophecy. But I wonder why English cl is so unaccommodating. Right now, we MUST read A Kite Runner, for example. I will likely not understand it, as usual. However, we must also read a cultural novel. Any other type of book is not allowed. My favorite memoir, Inside the Kingdom, is ALL about culture! But I can't use it because it is not fake!? I understand that I can't use it as I've already read it, but there are a lot of cultural memoirs available. Why is English cl so unaccommodating like this?