Risk is a beautifully told story that spans the years from the mid-eighties to the post-9/11 world. Carol, whose father was killed in the Vietnam War, is an idealistic, Berkeley-educated, Jewish lesbian living in Oakland, California. She makes her living by tutoring high school students, engages in community activism, and sometimes supplements her income with gambling. Through Carol's life, Dykewomon explores the changing times and values in America.