Amanda Montell

The author of the widely praised Wordslut analyzes the social science of cult influence: how cultish groups from Jonestown and Scientology to SoulCycle and social media gurus use language as the ultimate form of power. What makes “cults” so intriguing and frightening? What makes them powerful? The reason why so many of us binge Manson documentaries by the dozen and...

The author of the widely praised Wordslut analyses the social science of cult influence: how cultish groups from Jonestown and Scientology to SoulCycle and social media gurus use language as the ultimate form of power. What makes cults so intriguing and frightening? What makes them powerful? The reason why so many of us binge Manson documentaries by the dozen and...

A brash, enlightening and wildly entertaining feminist look at gendered language that shows how to verbally smash the patriarchy. English is scattered with perfectly innocuous words that have devolved into insults hurled at women. The word "bitch" originally meant male or female genitalia. "Hussy" was simply a housewife, and "slut" was an untidy man or woman. Feminist linguist Amanda Montell...

In the modern information age, our brain’s coping mechanisms have been overloaded, and our irrationality turned up to eleven. Amanda Montell blends cultural criticism and personal narrative to explore our modern cognitive biases and the power, disadvantages, and highlights of magical overthinking. Magical thinking can be broadly defined as the belief that one's internal thoughts can affect unrelated events in...

“As funny as it is informative, this book will have you laughing out loud while you contemplate the revolutionary power of words.” —Camille Perri, author of The Assistants and When Katie Met Cassidy A brash, enlightening, and wildly entertaining work of pop linguistics and a feminist look at gendered language and the way it shapes us. The word bitch conjures...

“One of those life-changing reads that makes you see—or, in this case, hear—the whole world differently.” —Megan Angelo, author of Followers “At times chilling, often funny, and always perceptive and cogent, Cultish is a bracing reminder that the scariest thing about cults is that you don't realize you're in one till it's too late.” —Refinery29.com The New York Times bestselling...

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER From the bestselling author of Cultish and host of the podcast Sounds Like a Cult, a delicious blend of cultural criticism and personal narrative that explores our cognitive biases and the power, disadvantages, and highlights of magical thinking. Utilising the linguistic insights of her "witty and brilliant" (Blythe Roberson, author of America the Beautiful?) first...

In the modern information age, our brain’s coping mechanisms have been overloaded, and our irrationality turned up to eleven. Amanda Montell blends cultural criticism and personal narrative to explore our modern cognitive biases and the power, disadvantages, and highlights of magical overthinking. Magical thinking can be broadly defined as the belief that one's internal thoughts can affect unrelated events in...