I wouldn’t have tried to be polite to Jack, but Bobby, well, I’d never met him, and he was head of the Justice Department – even if his appointment could be attributed to bloodlines rather than achievement.
-- Nate Michaels (Chapter 1)

Importance: This quote is the first that introduces the rift between Nate and Jack and the fact that Nate is still angry with his old friend.

See if there’s a way to get the knife out of our ribs without blowing up the world.
-- Jack Kennedy (Chapter 4)

Importance: This quote illustrates the way in which Kennedy sees the movements of the Soviet ships outside of Cuba.

Antennas sprang from the gray mansion’s roof like stalks in an Iowa cornfield. I didn’t know what kind of clandestine signals were sneaking in or out from all that radio equipment, but I couldn’t think of who would need it besides American’s Cold War nemesis.
-- Nate Michaels (Chapter 7)

Importance: This...