Driving down to the road into Pearson's Mill, there was a turkey vulture soaring along at eye level, moving downstream towards Red Bridge. There is a steep bluff between the access road, about 30 feet, and the bird was close, and startlingly real.

Vultures are have turned soaring and gliding into art, especially in light of the low altitudes they work. They make it look so very easy that one forgets nobody else, anywhere, can do it.

They are unfairly maligned as scavengers. Remember, legend has it Ben Franklin preferred the wild turkey over the bald eagle as our national symbol because the eagle is a scavenger. (As was Franklin, in his premier field of expertise, lust.) In truth, all carnivores are scavengers, choosing the low-hanging fruit.

Disabuse yourself of any notion humans are exempt from this link in the food chain. It's a matter of hunger. In New Orleans I saw a woman eating raw oysters from a dumpster, sawdust from the bar floor and all. I'm sure war zones see worse, but I never will.

Vultures perform a critical role in beautification. For proof, let me know the next time your county highway folk pick up anything smaller than a deer.

That was it for raptors, and there were no smaller birds about, but just south of Red Bridge there was a handful of squirrels.

At the intersection with the Old Trail (the Slocum name is on hiatus), there were two more in a tail-chase, which I assume is squirrel foreplay. Chasing tail is a timeless human male pursuit (pun intended, and necessary), which leaves little other room for explanation.

I admit to being fond of lists. They are fun, and it's easy to assess validity based on where your favorite is ranked. For instance, Rolling Stone ranked the 500(!) greatest songs. "Gimme Shelter", the absolutely best rock song ever, was listed at #38, while the lugubrious, meaningless dirge "Hey Jude", at least 8 minutes too long, came in at #8. How totally fucking absurd.

With that in mind, here is my list for some wonderful summer reading. All these books are as good as literature gets, totally without pretense (if you like Noman Mailer, John Updike, John Barth, or other such overinflated egos, log off now), and all-around excellent work.

1.) "Special Topics in Calamity Physics" - Marisha Peshel.

This book literally changed my life. I had little interest in women's lit, until this, easily the best book of the the decade. Too good for words.

2.) "The Monsters of Templeton" - Lauren Groff.

Multi layered, and you can enjoy the ones you want. Lauren grew up in Cooperstown, NY, home of the Baseball Hall of Fame, where you won't find the consummate asshole Pete Rose. "Temple" is James Fennimore Cooper, and Lauren makes a marvelous case for his skills being largely hack.

3.) Anything by Jenny Siler. These are tight, taut, seamless page-turners, all suspense. You can't do better.

4.) "PopCo" - Scarlett Thomas.

Superbly intelligent, a most entertaining story, masterfully told, by the best writer no one has ever heard of. If you are adventuresome, start with "The End of Mister Y".

5.) Anything by Tim Dorsey. Largely ignored as a master of fiction, and so much funnier than Carl Hiaasen, who's pretty damn good. His feature, Serge Storms, is the most lovable psychopath ever.

6.) "Incredible Edible Birds" - Lauren Groff.

If you only read one more collection of short stories ever, this is the one.

7.) "Johnny Got His Gun" - Dalton Trumbo.

W Bush would have become a pacifist upon reading this book. If the dumb sonofabitch could read. Not a diatribe or polemic, the story is so strong that the message makes you cry.

Some choice nonfiction:

1.) "The Canon" - Natalie Angier

Should you be a scientist, this book catches you up on other fields. If not, here is an overview, very accessible, and up-to-date.

2.) "Dominion" - Matthew Scully.

Never preachy, presented in orderly fashion, a rationale why you should never be responsible for an animal's death, even in the tiniest role.

3.) "Genome" - Matt Ridley.

Easy to read and follow explication of the primary function of each of the 23 chromosomes in every human. This book will wipe away all your fears of genetics and heredity.

4.) "The Extiction Club" - Robert Twigger.

Know this: there is at least one group of shitstains out there whose ultimate accolades go to the member who kills the last of a species. Of course they help the process along by killing Dall sheep, mountain goats, Mexican gray wolves, Florida panthers, and the like. Read this book and join me in declaring open season on club members.

There you are. You can't go wrong with any, or all. Should you read any of these, let me know what you think, by e-mail at dougalley@att.net, on Facebook, or as "Anonymous" - about the only way to respond on this blog I can figure. All are available on Amazon, if your library can't help you.

Don't delay! Start today!