'He slapped a silver-cover version of J. D. Salinger’s novel down in front of each one of us. ‘Read it,’ he said.'

He slapped a silver-cover version of J. D. Salinger’s novel down in front of each one of us. ‘Read it,’ he said, ‘all lesson, for homework, and the next lesson and homework, until you’ve finished it.’ Thirty-five minutes later, the change in me had begun.