Edge of Eternity (The Century Trilogy, #3)

by Ken Follett

A white American can orbit the earth, but a black American can’t enter a restroom.

Boris Kozlov, a Khrushchev aide like Dimka, told a risky joke. “Everybody! What will happen when Communism comes to Saudi Arabia?” They all cheered and begged him to tell them. “After a while there will be a shortage of sand!”

A few days later, Dimka was given a dacha. He had to pay, but the rent was nominal. As with most luxuries in the Soviet Union, the difficulty was not the price but getting to the head of the queue.