Book Finished:  The New Republic by Lionel Shriver

Take Away: ” A simpler answer - that Edgar perceived himself as an island of underrated promise in a sea of undeserving incompetence - would sound iffy in the open air”.

And: “Majority status is no people’s right… It is an accident, a lucky advantage.  Like any advantage you want to hold on to it.  But it is typical reasoning of privileged people to assume that just because you have something, ipso facto you deserve it.  In truth, this ‘defense of borders’ is naked defense of self-interest - not justice”.

And finally (just for fun): “Edgar gathered the train and swirled out of the bedroom with a little transvestite flounce; assured that you could get away with anything so long as you did it with conviction”.