Miley Cyrus Loves Sinclair Ross

In an interview last month with Teen People, Miley Cyrus was asked how she spent her time on the road. Her tour schedule has her away from home for seven months of the year, and fans are understandably interested to learn how she divides her time between concerts. She said she reads.

That's an interesting thing for an American teenager to say. And, as an academician, forced to read...let's see...books like Bedelia Kearns's "Metaphysics, Romantic Literature, and Oral Hygiene," I immediately questioned her veracity. But then she said something intriguing. Asked who her favourite author was, Cyrus said, "It has to be Sinclair Ross. Yeah, for sure: Sinclair Ross."

Sinclair Ross. Truth is stranger than fiction. By its sheer esoteric lunacy, that cannot be a lie. It's like asking some poseur nihilistic teen who his favourite philosopher is. And he says Holderlin. You don't pick up that name in USA Today. It's like asking a man what his favourite heel is, and he says, "Mary Jane Pumps. Preferably black patent leather. And preferably worn." That man knows of what he speaks.

So Miley likes Sinclair Ross. Here's what the Teen reporter said in response: "Sinclair Ross. Cool!"

Why Ross? Well, according to Cyrus, Ross's "Canadian, like, depression-era aesthetic is just so, you know...that so interests me. God, I think it's so vivid, you know. It speaks to me. I can see Mrs Bentley. I was telling my dad, 'Come on, dad, you've got to read this book.' And he did, and we talked about it for hours. We were both crying so hard at the end. After Sandra Birdsell, he's my favourite writer."

Later in the interview she adds, "I can't wait to go to Saskatchewan."

Canada's on its way. Next stop Oprah's book club. Tomson Highway's crossing his fingers right now.