Magical Overthinking

An 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 in the modern age.

“Montell’s take on how irrationality went mainstream is informed by erudite wit and an eye for telling images.”
— Kirkus starred review

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“Written with wit, smarts, and self-deprecating charm, The Age of Magical Overthinking is at once a guidebook for the era of misinformation and an illuminating, palm-to-the-forehead reveal of the delusions that underlie our own beliefs. Rarely have so few pages explained so much, so entertainingly.”
—Mary Roach, New York Times bestselling author of Stiff, Gulp, and Fuzz

“Empathetic and enviously shrewd, The Age of Magical Overthinking will cleanse your beleaguered mind the way a Tiktok ‘guru’ never could. Amanda Montell is a relatable and often brazenly funny narrator, as she creates a blueprint to breaking our minds’ worst habits. Who knew there was a path out of the forest of brain rot!”
—Sabrina Imbler, author of How Far the Light Reaches

“Amanda Montell’s unbeatable intellect helps make human life much more interesting, and a little less baffling.”
—Michelle Tea, author of Against Memoir, Knocking Myself Up, and more

“Reading The Age of Magical Overthinking feels like talking to a brilliant friend. With vulnerability, humor, and refreshing sincerity, Montell excavates everything from celebrity worship to toxic relationships to the allure of nostalgia. In readable, stylish prose, she offers nuanced insights into contemporary culture, all while giving the reader companionship and hope.”
—Heather Radke, author of Butts: A Backstory and Radiolab reporter

“A fantastic voyage into the furnace room of the modern mind. I emerged from these enlightening pages with a new understanding of my own cognitive biases, as well as an unbiased awe of Amanda Montell’s abundant gifts.”
—Mona Awad, author of Rouge and Bunny