Mao swam the Yangtze at age 73. Can we expect a similar feat from our own Dear Leader — from the Keys to Cuba? Maybe from the Atlantic to the Pacific via the Panama Canal?

Is there any so-called newspaper more embarrassing than the Austin American-Statesman? One of the most dynamic cities in America has to tolerate a paper whose idea of a Sunday front page is basically a house ad for jeweler Kendra Scott.

So my Houston Chronicle editorial-page assignment for next week is to list and discuss the 10 essential Texas books for Texans new or native. If that gets to be too daunting, I may switch to the 10 essential Houston books.

Book ideas? (For either category)