I enjoyed this book, and I’ve really LOVED Montell’s writing in the past. I think this book would be better on audio, especially with a talented or funny narrator (or maybe Montell herself). That being said, this was thought provoking and interesting.

this feels like a book that will be so much better on audio. Due to the academic nature of the topics, I found some of the chapters a little cumbersome to read, where listening would have be easier. Some topics were quite interesting like nostalgia while other topics I really wanted to skip but read anyways. Felt more like a book I would read as coursework than her others.

I absolutely loved this. I loved that the writing was easily accessible to someone not familiar with these topics, and I was able to learn a lot about not only the world around me, but also myself.

Amanda Montell has done it again! She writes my favourite pop / social science books. I always walk away learning something in such a fun way that I always recommend her books to anyone wanting to get started in non-fiction reading. I felt very seen reading about her toxic relationship and I know it’ll be helpful to others.

Informative, enjoyable, and thought-provoking, this book explores some of the most pervasive cognitive biases and their implications in modern culture. I know I will revisit many of these essays repeatedly and recommend this book to friends so we can discuss it!

This is a very readable nonfiction book about cognitive biases and the different ways they impact our lives. There’s a lot of pop culture discussion as well as some stories from the author’s life that apply to each topic. While I thought some chapters were stronger than others, I overall really enjoyed this and would recommend it if the topic sounds interesting to you! If you liked Cultish or Wordslut, this has a similar writing style and tone (friendly and accessible but still informative).
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Amanda Montell, writer of "Wordslut" and "Cultish" is back with a new book, this time taking a look at some of the ways our brains' biases and irrational thoughts lead us to believe that we can make things happen with the power of our minds. For example, we can manifest things if we think hard enough about them, or certain events play out the way they do because of how much we willed them to occur. A coping mechanism for information overload, some of our thinking is maybe a bit irrational.

I really enjoy Montell's books, and this one is no exception. It reads in a way that is easy to understand while still expanding the reader's view with some bigger ideas. It's also kind of funny (to me) how topics are discussed - like you're listening to someone recount a wild adventure over a cup of coffee. You're getting details and anecdotes to understand them that put the bigger ideas into perspective.

The chapter titles alone are entertaining, with some of my favorites being "A Toxic Relationship is Just A Cult of One" (Chapter 3), "Time to Spiral" (Chapter 6), and "Sorry I'm Late, Must Be Mercury in Retrograde" (Chapter 9).

Out April 9th!

I was a big fan of Amanda Montell, both her previous books and her Sounds Like A Cult podcast. I was super excited to be able to get my hands on an ARC of "The Age of Magical Overthinking."
This book is a great continuation of the author's previous works. I learned, I laughed, and I saw myself in some of the beliefs and biases described within (hello Ikea effect!)
If you like a little wit with you reading, this book is for you!
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Shuster for proving me the ARC!

In Amanda Montell fashion this book is packaged very pretty and packs an entertaining punch that will boost your intelligence.

In the age of magical overthinking Montell takes you on the journey her brain has been on in the last few years of, mostly, American history. While putting that famous linguistic twist on it she’s known for! She tells the cautionary tale of how damaging it is to give celebrities the halo effect and the history of it. We learn that manifestation is a quick pipeline to an alt right path. Of course it wouldn’t be a Montell book if cults weren’t somehow mentioned. Lots of these topics were intriguing and I never would have went out of my way on my own to read about them so I’m glad they were included.

I did think it could have been constructed in an easier to follow theme or timeline. The subjects were kind of all of the place in the order that they’re told.

I would reccomend this and any of Amanda Montell’s books to those who have yet to read them.

Thank you Atria and Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. And be on the look out for this coming April 2024

The Age of Magical Overthinking is the first book that I borrowed via NetGalley. I am very excited to share my review:

Amanda Montell has a colorful and accessible voice that is an absolute joy to read. Reading this book felt like sitting down for tea and brunch with a brilliant and fascinating friend. I appreciated the nostalgic musings and facts both worldly and cosmic. Many great references throughout. The title drew me in, and every page kept me hooked.

I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who has anxiety, thinks magically, adores linguistics, experiences nostalgia, is a little trippy, and loves learning new things.

An apt book for the times, especially with social media and internet culture these days. I really enjoyed Montell's voice and the way she described her own experiences and connected them to the topics at hand. Looking forward to picking up more of her nonfiction works as well.

A very interesting reflection on our motives behind our actions in the manner of Malcolm Gladwell. What seems apparent to us has so many meanings behind what we are conscious of, and Montell explores what really goes on when we feel superior, when we feel inferior, when we try to convince ourselves that we are who we want to be. Interviewing scientists as well as laypersons, she finds the motives behind our actions,many of which we are not aware of. Thought-provoking as well as revealing the obvious that often eludes us, this is an engrossing read.

This wasn’t at all what I expected but I still very much enjoyed it. Montell doesn’t pull punches - she goes for the swifties, the Disney adults, and the manifesting queens right from the start. I love Montell’s writing but I found this book to be very cynical. It’s about the brain and biases, but chapter 2 felt especially negative. This book was so much more personal than I expected, but I loved the personal anecdotes. Montell tells about her relationship with her mother, how she met her best friend, and her past abusive relationship. It was so different than her previous books.

4.5 stars! The Age of Magical Overthinking was a fast, fascinating read that captivated me from the first chapter. Ever wondered why you're so drawn to a certain celebrity? Or why you stayed in a toxic relationship or friendship for so long, despite knowing you deserved better? Amanda Montell dives into the answers to all of these questions and more in her exploration of cognitive biases—and how they impact our lives in this modern age. I was familiar with many of the topics discussed, but still found this book really informative and insightful, and learned so much from it! Montell's writing style is witty, readable, and accessible to a wide audience, and she effortlessly balances a more academic, research-oriented tone with stories of her own personal experiences. I think so many readers will be able to enjoy and relate to The Age of Magical Overthinking, and would especially recommend it to anyone interested in psychology (particularly social psychology)! Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC, provided in exchange for an honest review.

The Age of Magical Overthinking is a thought-provoking and reader-friendly exploration of different cognitive biases, starting with the halo effect and ending with the IKEA effect. Montell really delivered in The Age of Magical Overthinking, striking the perfect balance between research and personal anecdotes. Even though I knew about some of the cognitive biases discussed in The Age of Magical Overthinking beforehand, Montell pushed me to view things differently, e.g., how the phenomenon of "manifesting" is a conspiracy theory, how the "sunk cost fallacy" drives people to stay in horrible relationships . . . 4.5 stars, rounded up. I have a feeling that this will be *the* book to read in 2024 (like Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion in 2019).

Following her book Cultish Montell continues with her brilliant work as a modern linguist and cultural observer to breakdown different cognitive biases and the role they play in our daily lives.

This book was a little sadder then her previous works, and I don’t mean in a critical way, the entire piece has a sense of doom relating to the several types of Magical Thinking that’s discussed. Amanda gives vulnerably of herself in this one, delving into some very personal details she’s only hinted at during the podcast and previous books. Her anecdotes beautifully illustrate each point and felt relevant.

The Age of Magical Thinking is insightful without being over the top and I would recommend it to anyone.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Publishers for this eARC!

As a psychology lover and fan of both Cultish and its spin off podcast, Sounds Like a Cult, this was the perfect book for me. I read and really enjoyed Cultish in 2022, so getting to read this book ahead of publication was a real treat.

Amanda Montell has a gift for weaving storytelling with fact. I was upset when I got to the end... I could read a 500 page book written by Amanda Montell about cognitive biases and it still wouldn't be enough! This book is great for anyone who wants to understand general human behavior or wants to understand their own. Would 11/10 recommend to anyone. This is nonfiction at its finest! Can't wait to buy the physical copy when it comes out because in addition to the fantastic content in the book, the cover is also stunning.

**ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Raise your hand if you were an AP Psych girlie in the late 2000s ✋🏻 The Age of Magical Overthinking is a great look at the trickery our brains play on us - whether it’s to reinforce our beliefs in the face of obvious proof to the contrary or the value we believe things hold that we made, simply because we are the ones that made them.

Each chapter dives into a different bias or effect, with Montell sharing along the way how she herself falls into each of these. You’ll see yourself in many of the chapters as well, noting how the modern world is warping our brains a bit but hey, our brains have been warped forever so it’s not just you!

If you have any interest in psychology or biases, pick this one up for a read that’s a lot more fun than a textbook.

A timely, compelling read that ventures to explain how our surroundings, social networks, and the Internet are shaping the way we (over and maybe even under) think. This is my first read by this author and I enjoyed her sharp yet vulnerable (and accessible) writing style. The anecdotes beautifully illustrate each point and felt relevant. This is insightful without being preachy and I would recommend it to anyone.

Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

Montell's latest collection of essays uses cognitive biases to make sense of many modern phenomena, and reading it felt like a pat on the shoulder saying: yes, the modern world is making us all a little crazy, and it's explainable, and you're not alone. The combination of irreverent voice with some vulnerability of her own made this a soul-filling read—I'll be excited to return to it over time.