Press

In the news

Selected media appearances, reviews, interviews, and excerpts.

Amanda’s writing and social commentary has been covered by NPR’s Fresh Air, The Atlantic, The New York Times, Elle, and elsewhere. She has appeared as an expert in documentary series including Netflix’s How to Become a Cult Leader and HBO’s Breath of Fire and is a TED Speaker.

Amanda Montell in a red velvet blazer, chin resting on her hand

Highlights

More coverage

TV & Radio

NPR Fresh Air Internet Brain & The Age of Overthinking
Netflix How to Become a Cult Leader
TED The Sneaky Language Tricks Cults Use to Influence You
Crash Course The Secret Language of Cults
Discovery+ The Rise and Fall of LuLaRoe documentary
Vice TV True Believers documentary series (episodes 2 & 4)
The David Pakman Show Could You be Sucked Into A Cult? With Amanda Montell
BBC Radio 4 “Word of Mouth” Cultish Language
KERA “Think” How Language Keeps Cults Together
WGN News Chicago Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism
NPR: Wisconsin Public Radio Linguist Explores How Cults Gain Followers
WNYC “All Of It” The Language of Fanaticism
RadioWest Amanda Montell On “The Language of Fanaticism”
KUOW How to Rethink Gendered Insults
Sex With Emily on SiriusXM Amanda Montell Is a Wordslut

The Age of Magical Overthinking Reviews

Kirkus starred review
“Montell’s take on how irrationality went mainstream is informed by erudite wit and an eye for telling images.”
Bookpage
“Reading The Age of Magical Overthinking feels like listening to your smartest friend give excellent advice. Hopefully, we’ll take it.”
Booklist
“Refreshingly entertaining and informative…[Montell] exemplifies the power of compelling stories by employing her own memorable metaphors and disclosures as an invitation to consider more deeply what we choose to consume and share.”
BookRiot
“In her signature combination of wit and humor, Amanda Montell examines how society’s belief in magical thinking is more common than we might think.”
Nylon
“Anyone who’s ever been trapped in their own head can find solace in Amanda Montell’s latest work.”

Cultish Reviews

Booklist starred review
“Montell’s masterful translation of our need to belong will mesmerize.”
Kirkus Reviews
“Engaging… provocative… A fascinating, enthusiastic narrative on the loaded language of cults.”
The Atlantic
“Savvy, enlightening… Montell… is a breezy writer and an empathetic guide to the various corners of American subcultures.”
The Washington Post
“Engaging and fun to read, ‘Cultish’ offers plenty of jaw-dropping details about life inside cults. But the book isn’t all voyeuristic pleasure. As Montell teases out the universality of cultish influence, she upholds the humanity of the people who do get swayed.”
The Globe and Mail
“Wildly compelling… absolutely fascinating.”

Wordslut Reviews

Kirkus Reviews
“Just the kind of sharp, relevant scholarship needed to continue to inspire the next generation of feminist thought.”
Publisher’s Weekly
“Montell projects an infectious glee about linguistics and feminism, foregrounding both their fun and their cultural relevance. Readers seeking a fresh, intellectually stimulating take on feminism will enjoy this one.”
The New York Times
“Her delivery is light and humorous … but the lesson is serious and cannot be overstated: In countless ways, gender affects how we talk and how others hear us.”
Time Magazine
“In sharp and energetic prose, Montell makes readable deep dives into vocabulary.”
Harper’s Bazaar
“Amanda Montell’s uproarious, whip-smart guide to destigmatizing gendered language … [is] achingly relevant.”