Ugly Stories For Beautiful People    by James Burr Order:  USA  Can Corsega Press, 2007 (2007) Paperback      Reviewed by Martina Bexte It's always a pleasure to find an anthology that's well written, unique and that strikes a chord that lingers long after turning the final page. Ugly Stories For Beautiful People is just such a collection. These loosely linked stories begin with Bob and Jane, A Fable in Two Distinct Parts, about a couple whose adoration for each other is all-consuming. Foetal Attraction is deftly narrated by a pregnancy kit that wants nothing more than to deliver the happy news of impending motherhood to its rather unsavory owner. In The Dada Relationship Police, a man discovers that a shadowy group seems to know every aspect of his life and his relationships. In the Byronic Man, a man must decide how far he'll go to make himself attractive to the opposite sex. Burr takes a satirical look at what could happen when humans' proclivity for pretentiousness suddenly runs amok in It. And in the postscript story, Bob and Jane make a final disconcerting discovery ... From the darkly twisted, to the humorous, to stories filled with illuminating social commentary, Burr's innovative speculative fiction offers an insightful, and sometimes disturbing exploration of the human psyche. Read Ugly Stories For Beautiful People in its entirety for its full effect - James Burr's work exemplifies what a well crafted short story is all about. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Fantasy books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews