"The Hard Life" by Flann O'Brien was first published in 1961. It is subtitled "An Exegesis of Squalor." It is a comic novel.

It was the author's third published novel. The story is set in Dublin at the turn of the century. It is also considered a satirical Bildungsroman.

The story tells about the education and upbringing of Finbarr, the narrator, and his brother Manus. Through this novel, the author seems to be mocking the Roman Catholic Church and formal education.