Whatever you do, do not depend on a broker for trading advice. With few exceptions, they are salesmen not traders. If they could trade, they wouldn't be brokers. I suggest one of the major discount firms in Chicago. Unless you require some special service not every firm provides, choose the one that will give you the lowest commission rate.
Risk is always commensurate with reward.
Commodity trading is not inherently risky. It is only as risky as you want to make it. Most people bust out because they can't control themselves and the urge to gamble. A disciplined person trading a solid, trend-following system with sufficient capital to diversify can reasonably expect consistent returns of 25 to 50 percent a year with drawdowns of 15 to 30 percent. Just as you can't learn to drive a racing car by reading a book, you will need a certain amount of trading experience to learn about markets and trading psychology.