"Despite its journey, the dead thing was most definitely human, with its arms and legs still attached. But this creature with its red hair was no ordinary man. He was a yang guizi, a white devil, a foreigner."
Prologue, xv

"China has no great epics like Gilgamesh, the Mahabharata, or the Iliad. Yu's story is the closest, although it isn't about creation or the spirit world. It's about the relationship between man and the physical universe."
Chap. 5, p. 71

"Patriotism was a natural outgrowth of China's new found prosperity and its emergence after decades of isolation. Nothing was more 'patriotic' in China these days than the dam, and nothing was more universally appealing to the downtrodden than the idea of a savior."
Chap. 12, p. 151

"When a true leader gives repose to the people...his kindness is felt and the black-haired race cherish him in their hearts."
Chap. 12, p. 154

"You...