{"title":"Amanda Montell","description":"\u003cp\u003eAmanda Montell's works explore the fascinating intersections of language, psychology, and culture with sharp wit and insightful analysis. Her writing delves into how words shape our identities, beliefs, and social dynamics, making complex ideas accessible and engaging.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFrom dissecting the allure of cult-like movements to examining the quirks of human thought, Montell offers readers a thoughtful and entertaining journey through contemporary linguistics and human behaviour. Her books invite reflection on the power of language in everyday life and society at large.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"cultish-by-amanda-montell-9780062993151","title":"Cultish","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe author of the widely praised \u003cem\u003eWordslut\u003c\/em\u003e analyzes the social science of cult influence: how cultish groups from Jonestown and Scientology to SoulCycle and social media gurus use language as the ultimate form of power.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhat makes “cults” so intriguing and frightening? What makes them powerful? The reason why so many of us binge Manson documentaries by the dozen and fall down rabbit holes researching suburban mums gone QAnon is because we're looking for a satisfying explanation for what causes people to join—and more importantly, stay in—extreme groups. We secretly want to know: could it happen to me? Amanda Montell's argument is that, on some level, it already has...\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOur culture tends to provide pretty flimsy answers to questions of cult influence, mostly having to do with vague talk of “brainwashing.” But the true answer has nothing to do with freaky mind-control wizardry or Kool-Aid. In \u003cem\u003eCultish\u003c\/em\u003e, Montell argues that the key to manufacturing intense ideology, community, and us\/them attitudes all comes down to language. In both positive ways and shadowy ones, cultish language is something we hear—and are influenced by—every single day.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThrough juicy storytelling and cutting original research, Montell exposes the verbal elements that make a wide spectrum of communities “cultish,” revealing how they affect followers of groups as notorious as Heaven's Gate, but also how they pervade our modern start-ups, Peloton leaderboards, and Instagram feeds. Incisive and darkly funny, this enrapturing take on the curious social science of power and belief will make you hear the fanatical language of \u003cem\u003ecultish\u003c\/em\u003e everywhere.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Arotahi Agency","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46498001256684,"sku":"9780062993151","price":71.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/11135613482210.jpg?v=1748528067"},{"product_id":"cultish-by-amanda-montell-9780063244689","title":"Cultish","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe author of the widely praised \u003ci\u003eWordslut\u003c\/i\u003e analyses the social science of cult influence: how cultish groups from Jonestown and Scientology to SoulCycle and social media gurus use language as the ultimate form of power.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhat makes cults so intriguing and frightening? What makes them powerful? The reason why so many of us binge Manson documentaries by the dozen and fall down rabbit holes researching suburban mums gone QAnon is that we’re looking for a satisfying explanation for what causes people to join—and more importantly, stay in—extreme groups. We secretly want to know: could it happen to me? Amanda Montell’s argument is that, on some level, it already has...\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOur culture tends to provide pretty flimsy answers to questions of cult influence, mostly having to do with vague talk of “brainwashing.” But the true answer has nothing to do with freaky mind-control wizardry or Kool-Aid. In \u003cem\u003eCultish\u003c\/em\u003e, Montell argues that the key to manufacturing intense ideology, community, and us\/them attitudes all comes down to language. In both positive ways and shadowy ones, cultish language is something we hear—and are influenced by—every single day.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThrough juicy storytelling and cutting original research, Montell exposes the verbal elements that make a wide spectrum of communities “cultish,” revealing how they affect followers of groups as notorious as Heaven’s Gate, but also how they pervade our modern start-ups, Peloton leaderboards, and Instagram feeds. Incisive and darkly funny, this enrapturing take on the curious social science of power and belief will make you hear the fanatical language of cultish everywhere.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"HarperCollins New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46498003648748,"sku":"9780063244689","price":35.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/13650993482210.jpg?v=1748528141"},{"product_id":"wordslut-a-feminist-guide-to-taking-back-the-english-language-by-amanda-montell-9781760640958","title":"Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA brash, enlightening and wildly entertaining feminist look at gendered language that shows how to verbally smash the patriarchy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEnglish is scattered with perfectly innocuous words that have devolved into insults hurled at women. The word \"bitch\" originally meant male or female genitalia. \"Hussy\" was simply a housewife, and \"slut\" was an untidy man or woman.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFeminist linguist Amanda Montell explains why words matter and why it's imperative that women embrace their unique relationship with language. Drawing on fascinating research, and moving between history and pop culture, Montell deconstructs language—from insults and cursing to grammar and pronunciation—to expose the ways it has been used for centuries to gaslight women. Montell's irresistible intelligence and humour make linguistics not only approachable but downright enthralling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language\u003c\/em\u003e gets to the heart of our language, sheds light on the biases that shadow women in our culture and shows how to embrace language to verbally smash the patriarchy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"I get so jazzed about the future of feminism knowing that Montell's brilliance is rising up and about to explode worldwide.\" —JILL SOLOWAY\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46505834610924,"sku":"9781760640958","price":41.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/23796523482814.jpg?v=1748682265"},{"product_id":"the-age-of-magical-overthinking-by-amanda-montell-9780008701116","title":"The Age of Magical Overthinking","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn the modern information age, our brain’s coping mechanisms have been overloaded, and our irrationality turned up to eleven. Amanda Montell blends cultural criticism and personal narrative to explore our modern cognitive biases and the power, disadvantages, and highlights of magical overthinking.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMagical thinking\u003c\/em\u003e can be broadly defined as the belief that one's internal thoughts can affect unrelated events in the external world. Whether that's \"manifesting\" their way out of poverty, staving off cancer with positive vibes, or transforming an unhealthy relationship to a glorious one through loyalty alone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn a series of razor-sharp and introspective chapters, Montell delves into cognitive biases that run rampant in our brains, from how the \"halo effect\" cultivates worship (and hatred) of larger-than-life celebrities, to how the \"sunk cost fallacy\" can keep us in detrimental relationships long after they no longer serve us.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTold with her signature brilliance and wit, Montell's prevailing message is one of hope and forgiveness for our anxiety-riddled human self. If you have all but lost faith in our ability to reason through the noise of information overload, this book aims to make sense of the senseless. To crack open a window in our minds and let the fresh air in. To help quiet the cacophony for a while, and maybe even hear a melody in it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Arotahi Agency","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46632144109804,"sku":"9780008701116","price":48.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780008701116.jpg?v=1752230018"},{"product_id":"the-age-of-magical-overthinking-by-amanda-montell-9780008701123","title":"The Age of Magical Overthinking","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn the modern information age, our brain’s coping mechanisms have been overloaded, and our irrationality turned up to eleven. Amanda Montell blends cultural criticism and personal narrative to explore our modern cognitive biases and the power, disadvantages, and highlights of magical overthinking.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMagical thinking\u003c\/em\u003e can be broadly defined as the belief that one's internal thoughts can affect unrelated events in the external world. Whether that's \"manifesting\" their way out of poverty, staving off cancer with positive vibes, or transforming an unhealthy relationship to a glorious one through loyalty alone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn a series of razor-sharp and introspective chapters, Montell delves into cognitive biases that run rampant in our brains, from how the \"halo effect\" cultivates worship (and hatred) of larger-than-life celebrities, to how the \"sunk cost fallacy\" can keep us in detrimental relationships long after they no longer serve us.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTold with her signature brilliance and wit, Montell's prevailing message is one of hope and forgiveness for our anxiety-riddled human self. If you have all but lost faith in our ability to reason through the noise of information overload, this book aims to make sense of the senseless. To crack open a window in our minds and let the fresh air in. To help quiet the cacophony for a while, and maybe, even hear a melody in it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"HarperCollins New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46632146010348,"sku":"9780008701123","price":28.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/1845343482191.jpg?v=1751991459"},{"product_id":"wordslut-by-amanda-montell-9780062868886","title":"Wordslut","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“As funny as it is informative, this book will have you laughing out loud while you contemplate the revolutionary power of words.” —Camille Perri, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Assistants\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eWhen Katie Met Cassidy\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA brash, enlightening, and wildly entertaining work of pop linguistics and a feminist look at gendered language and the way it shapes us.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe word \u003ci\u003ebitch\u003c\/i\u003e conjures many images, but it is most often meant to describe an unpleasant woman. Even before its usage to mean “a female canine,” \u003ci\u003ebitch\u003c\/i\u003e didn’t refer to women at all—it originated as a gender-neutral word for “genitalia.” A perfectly innocuous word devolving into an insult directed at females is the case for tons more terms, including \u003ci\u003ehussy\u003c\/i\u003e, which simply meant “housewife”; and \u003ci\u003eslut\u003c\/i\u003e, which meant “an untidy person” and was also used to describe men. These are just a few of history’s many English slurs hurled at women.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAmanda Montell, reporter and feminist linguist, deconstructs language—from insults, cursing, gossip, and catcalling to grammar and pronunciation patterns—to reveal the ways it has been used for centuries to keep women and other marginalised genders from power. Ever wonder why so many people are annoyed when women speak with vocal fry or use \u003ci\u003elike\u003c\/i\u003e as filler? Or why certain gender-neutral terms stick and others don’t? Or where stereotypes of how women and men speak come from in the first place?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMontell effortlessly moves between history, science, and popular culture to explore these questions—and how we can use the answers to affect real social change. Her irresistible humour shines through, making the field of sociolinguistics not only approachable but downright hilarious and profound. \u003ci\u003eWordslut\u003c\/i\u003e gets to the heart of our language, marvels at its elasticity, and sheds much-needed light on the sexism in language and the biases that shadow women in our culture and our consciousness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis hilarious and whip-smart journey into the field of sociolinguistics uncovers:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eGendered Insults:\u003c\/b\u003e Discover the surprising and often shocking origins of slurs like \u003ci\u003eslut\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003ehussy\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003ebitch\u003c\/i\u003e—and what it means to reclaim them.\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eVocal Fry and Uptalk:\u003c\/b\u003e Unpack the real linguistic power behind so-called \"annoying\" speech habits, from vocal fry to using \u003ci\u003elike\u003c\/i\u003e as a filler, and learn why young women are linguistic innovators.\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eLanguage and Power:\u003c\/b\u003e Explore how everything from catcalling to grammar rules has been used for centuries to keep women and other marginalised genders away from power.\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eFeminist Linguistics:\u003c\/b\u003e Arm yourself with the hilarious and profound insights of a feminist linguist who makes complex topics not only approachable but laugh-out-loud funny.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Arotahi Agency","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47398092701932,"sku":"9780062868886","price":56.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9892963482210.jpg?v=1773741906"},{"product_id":"cultish-by-amanda-montell-9780062993168","title":"Cultish","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e“One of those life-changing reads that makes you see—or, in this case, hear—the whole world differently.”\u003c\/em\u003e —Megan Angelo, author of \u003cem\u003eFollowers\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e“At times chilling, often funny, and always perceptive and cogent, \u003cem\u003eCultish\u003c\/em\u003e is a bracing reminder that the scariest thing about cults is that you don't realize you're in one till it's too late.”\u003c\/em\u003e —Refinery29.com\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e bestselling author of \u003cem\u003eThe Age of Magical Overthinking\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eWordslut\u003c\/em\u003e analyses the social science of cult influence: how “cultish” groups, from Jonestown and Scientologists to SoulCycle and social media gurus, use language as the ultimate form of power.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhat makes “cults” so intriguing and frightening? What makes them powerful? The reason why so many of us binge Manson documentaries by the dozen and fall down rabbit holes researching suburban moms gone QAnon is because we’re looking for a satisfying explanation for what causes people to join—and more importantly, stay in—extreme groups. We secretly want to know: could it happen to me? Amanda Montell’s argument is that, on some level, it already has...\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOur culture tends to provide pretty flimsy answers to questions of cult influence, mostly having to do with vague talk of “brainwashing.” But the true answer has nothing to do with freaky mind-control wizardry or Kool-Aid. In \u003cem\u003eCultish\u003c\/em\u003e, Montell argues that the key to manufacturing intense ideology, community, and us\/them attitudes all comes down to language. In both positive ways and shadowy ones, cultish language is something we hear—and are influenced by—every single day.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThrough juicy storytelling and cutting original research, Montell exposes the verbal elements that make a wide spectrum of communities “cultish,” revealing how they affect followers of groups as notorious as Heaven’s Gate, but also how they pervade our modern start-ups, Peloton leaderboards, and Instagram feeds. Incisive and darkly funny, this enrapturing take on the curious social science of power and belief will make you hear the fanatical language of “cultish” everywhere.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Arotahi Agency","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47642828308716,"sku":"9780062993168","price":36.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780062993168-cultish.jpg?v=1779159329"},{"product_id":"the-age-of-magical-overthinking-by-amanda-montell-9781668007983","title":"The Age of Magical Overthinking","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eINSTANT \u003ci\u003eNEW YORK TIMES\u003c\/i\u003e BESTSELLER\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eCultish\u003c\/i\u003e and host of the podcast \u003ci\u003eSounds Like a Cult\u003c\/i\u003e, a delicious blend of cultural criticism and personal narrative that explores our cognitive biases and the power, disadvantages, and highlights of magical thinking.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eUtilising the linguistic insights of her \"witty and brilliant\" (Blythe Roberson, author of \u003ci\u003eAmerica the Beautiful?\u003c\/i\u003e) first book \u003ci\u003eWordslut\u003c\/i\u003e and the sociological explorations of her breakout hit \u003ci\u003eCultish\u003c\/i\u003e, Amanda Montell now turns her erudite eye to the inner workings of the human mind and its biases in her most personal and electrifying work yet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\"Magical thinking\" can be broadly defined as the belief that one's internal thoughts can affect unrelated events in the external world: think of the conviction that one can manifest their way out of poverty, stave off cancer with positive vibes, thwart the apocalypse by learning to can their own peaches, or transform an unhealthy relationship to a glorious one with loyalty alone. In all its forms, magical thinking works in service of restoring agency amid chaos, but in \u003ci\u003eThe Age of Magical Overthinking\u003c\/i\u003e, Montell argues that in the modern information age, our brain's coping mechanisms have been overloaded, and our irrationality turned up to an eleven.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn a series of razor sharp, deeply funny chapters, Montell delves into a cornucopia of the cognitive biases that run rampant in our brains, from how the \"halo effect\" cultivates worship (and hatred) of larger-than-life celebrities, to how the \"sunk cost fallacy\" can keep us in detrimental relationships long after we've realised they're not serving us. As she illuminates these concepts with her signature brilliance and wit, Montell's prevailing message is one of hope, empathy, and ultimately forgiveness for our anxiety-addled human selves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIf you have all but lost faith in our ability to reason, Montell aims to make some sense of the senseless. To crack open a window in our minds, and let a warm breeze in. To help quiet the cacophony for a while, or even hear a melody in it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47934268506348,"sku":"9781668007983","price":53.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781668007983-the-age-of-magical-overthinking.jpg?v=1783909096"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.pro\/collections\/amanda-montell.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}