Amanda Montell is a New York Times bestselling author, linguist, and podcast host known for her incisive explorations of language, culture, and modern irrationality. She has written three critically acclaimed nonfiction books: "Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language," "Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism," and the forthcoming "The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality." Her work has been praised by publications like The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and NPR, which named "Cultish" a best book of 2021. The book was also shortlisted for the Goodreads Choice Awards and is in development for television adaptation.
Montell's writing blends linguistic analysis with cultural commentary, examining how language shapes societal power dynamics and belief systems. As the creator and host of the podcast "Sounds Like A Cult," she extends this focus to dissecting contemporary phenomena through a critical yet humorous lens. The podcast won "Best Emerging Podcast" at the 2023 iHeart Radio Podcast Awards and was featured on multiple best-of lists by outlets like Vulture and Esquire. A graduate of NYU with a degree in linguistics, Montell has contributed essays to The New York Times, Harper’s Bazaar, and Marie Claire. Born in Baltimore, she now resides in Los Angeles, where she continues to write and produce content at the intersection of language and culture.