"Whenever I think of my father, which is often, I remember the day of the riot at Tredegar Iron Works. And I think of the way he got hit with the rock and how his face bled. That is the memory that will always come to my mind first, I suppose, when I think of my father" (Prologue, p. 3).

"My strange brother, whom I knew only from the contents of the room" (Chapter 1, p. 25).

"His face was soft, looking at me, as if he had found something he had lost a very long time ago. And just remembered what it was" (Chapter 4, p. 57).

"Why, my mama is hypocritical, I thought, standing there. Instantly, I squashed the thought. It was disloyal" (Chapter 7, p. 77).

"Richmond had turned out in full to bury the tenth president of the United States, John Tyler. Outside, on the icy streets, there were at least...