Risk — Elana Dykewomon

Praise for Beyond the Pale by Elana Dykewomon:

“One of the most compelling novels I have ever read. . . . A work of remarkable importance.” -- The Village Voice

“One of the best books of the year. . . . Compelling, honest and unselfconscious.” -- The Toronto Star

“Truly great novels aren't written very often, but Beyond the Pale deserves all the glowing adjectives available.” -- Bay Area Reporter

“A moving chronicle.” -- Publishers Weekly

“A page-turner. . . . Recommended for all collections.” -- Library Journal

Elana Dykewomon's extraordinarily well-received novel Beyond the Pale was first published in 1997 and won both the Lambda Literary Award and the Ferro-Grumley Award. It is firmly established as a classic text in the canon of lesbian literature. Risk is the longed-for follow-up from Dykewomon.

Risk is a beautifully told story that spans the years from the mid-eighties to the post-9/11 world. Carol is an idealistic, Berkeley-educated, Jewish lesbian living in Oakland, California. Downwardly mobile, the Berkeley grad makes her living by tutoring high school students. Through Carol's life, Dykewomon explores the changing times and values in America.

Elana Dykewomon is an activist, author, and teacher, and she has a fiercely dedicated readership that has been eagerly awaiting her next novel for a dozen years. One of the finest thinkers -- and writers -- the women's movement has produced, Dykewomon has worked for the last fifteen years as an editor and teacher of composition and creative writing, both independently and for San Francisco State University.