Throw It to the River

Janet Money, formerly the sports editor of the Woodstock Daily
Sentinel-Review, is a freelance writer and editor in London, Ontario.

This is Nice Rodriguez’s first collection of stories and, I hope, it
won’t be her last. Her wonderfully ironic touch and keen eye combined
with skilled writing have resulted in a highly enjoyable collection.

Rodriguez simultaneously pokes fun at and makes political points about
lesbians, Canadians, and her own Filipino-Canadian community; she writes
about such issues as immigration, colonization, abuse, and role-playing
with subtlety and wit. “When You’re Six,” for example, is a
standout that deals with the situation of a child who knows she’s
different in an affectionately humorous way. “GI Jane” looks at U.S.
imperialism from a lesbian point of view.

Rodriguez’s stories aren’t just nice vignettes to be enjoyed and
then forgotten. This is an important collection from a very talented
writer.