Amanda Montell is a New York Times–bestselling author and Webby Award–winning podcaster.

Her nonfiction books include Wordslut and the New York Times bestsellers Cultish and The Age of Magical Overthinking. Translated into over fifteen languages, Amanda’s books have been praised by publications including The Atlantic and NPR and spotlit as monthly selections by Barnes & Noble and the Dylan Mulvaney Book Club. Amanda’s top-charting podcasts Sounds Like A Cult and Magical Overthinkers have been downloaded over 40 million times and won awards including the 2026 Webby Award for Best Arts & Culture Podcast (People’s Choice) and the 2023 iHeart Radio Award for Best Emerging Podcast.

Amanda’s writing has been published in The New York Times, The Guardian, and Harper’s Bazaar, among others. Speaking about her work, she has appeared in documentaries including Netflix’s “How to Become A Cult Leader” and HBO’s “Breath of Fire.” Amanda holds a degree in linguistics from NYU and lives in Southern California, where she is at work on her debut novel, Where to Put Your Tongue (Washington Square Press, 2028).