Rory’s Not That Guy
William E Burleson
Blackwater Press (2026)
ISBN: 978-1963614268
Reviewed by Tyson Peveto for Reader Views (09/2026)
Rory’s Not That Guy…And Other Tales from Middle America might be one of the best books to recommend to someone looking to get into short stories. There are a few reasons. First, the preface has a great introduction to what short stories are meant to be, how to enjoy them, recommendations for authors of the craft, and a bit about the author’s own viewpoint on short stories.
Each of these short stories begins with a little introductory paragraph, the author telling what the story is about, what influenced the story, or some other note he finds important. While this rarely gives away the story, it does set you up a bit more prepared to be dropped into a new story with new characters and a new setting.
The final reason is that they are just great short stories. They range across the emotions, some being hilarious, others depressing, and a few even uncomfortable. They are full of believable, annoyingly normal characters, ones that we would interact with every day. And Burleson makes these characters, these very average Americans, the main characters. Multiple ones, all at the same time, all having their own lives and stories and conflicts, all deserving of focus.
None of the stories are very long, and some are surprisingly short. The ongoing conflict of short stories is just when you’re getting into a story, it can abruptly end. While that does happen in Rory’s Not That Guy, it never felt like it was detrimental to the enjoyment of the book.
Burleson points out that some of these stories aren’t really fiction, but are retellings of his own story; and these stories have some of the most emotional impact. Without giving away the storylines of “his” stories, they reveal so much about Burleson, his relationship with his father and mother, and what shaped him into the writer (and the man) he is today.
The only hesitation to recommending this book to every potential short story reader is that there might need to be a few content warnings. Nothing too aggressive, but a decent amount of curse words and a few scenes that some would deem inappropriate. None of it felt egregious or unnecessary, but there are always more sensitive readers out there.
The most impressive part of these stories is how each character is handled. One story is about a conflict on a bus. Burleson gives almost equal attention to every person on the bus (other than the two centered on the conflict), making casual observers the main character. Story after story, this unexpected focus on “side” characters gives a fresh feeling to how a story can be told.
At a Glance: This contemporary short story collection explores ordinary life across Middle America through humor, sadness, discomfort, and autobiographical elements. Brief, character-driven tales frequently shift attention toward overlooked bystanders and everyday people. Contains profanity and some mature situations.
Best for Readers Who Enjoy: short story collections, contemporary American fiction, everyday people, slice-of-life stories, character-driven fiction, dark humor, emotionally varied stories, autobiographical fiction, unconventional perspectives