Is his mention of Angelicum University objectively or subjectively ridiculous?
In reality, the Angelicum in 1963 as now is difficult to get into and attracts the best and most motivated students of theology. Only a minority of students then as now were from English-speaking countries, so the notion of everyone reading American newsmags in class is therefore preposterous.
The school was well-known for the enthusiasm of it's student body - for years Professor Garrigou-Lagrange held extra lectures on Saturdays that were packed to the rafters.
In point of fact, because of its growing popularity, the Pope promoted it from being a theological school to a full-fledged university in 1963.
It's quite convenient for the author to claim he went there but that he never took a degree.