"When you think about it, silence was rarely silent. Silence was the small noises you heard when the larger noises disappeared." Chap. 1, p. 1

"The audience was a mix of students and faculty, with a few citizens of Lowell who were interested. Outside the auditorium there were pickets representing gay liberation, NOW, NAACP, the Anti-Nuclear Coalition, Planned Parenthood, and everyone else to the left of Alexander. Since, as far as I could tell, there was no one to the right of Alexander, it made for a considerable turnout." Chap. 3, p. 12

"Ronni smiled, helped pour the tea, spoke briefly on the sacredness of marriage bond and her conviction that her husband was all that stood between us and the arrival of the anti-Christ." Chap. 3, p. 14

"'It's Mrs. Alexander.'
I nodded.
'She has, I'm afraid, been indiscreet.'
I nodded some more.
'She has . . . they have. . .' His voice started...