"In the end, this policy paid off, because during the Cultural Revolution, when my friends and relatives were cross-examined, they could honestly say that I never showed any interest in state secrets." p. 165

"But could a man assigned to carry night soil as his lifelong occupation make himself like the job by working hard at it?" p. 33

"...a new slogan was coined to emphasize the undesirability of children of capitalist families. It said 'A dragon is born of a dragon, a phoenix is born of a phoenix, and a mouse is born with the ability to make a hole in the wall.' In short, since the parents were class enemies, the children would naturally be class enemies too." p. 115

"Although her position in the bureaucratic structure could not have been very senior, the power she was allowed to exercise seemed frighteningly enormous." p. 503

"For so many years...