Amanda Montell’s Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism has been met with positive reviews from casual readers and former cult members alike, even landing its own deal as a docuseries. This success raises the questions of how Montell came to be an authority on this topic, how she was inspired to pursue writing a book about it, and how she decided which types of cults to include.

Montell establishes credibility through sharing her personal proximity to cults, informing the reader that her father was a member of Syanon. She also frequently references her enthusiasm for cults and spooky stories throughout the book. In interviews, she doesn’t claim any special knowledge, apart from her studies in and genuine passion for linguistics. As she puts it, “In my first book jacket, I didn’t really have any accolades, so I literally was just like, ‘Amanda Montell is from Baltimore’ and then I named my two favorite words” (Morreale, Eva, and Apeksha Bhateja. “Our Favorite Book of July Dives into the Fascinating World of Cults.” Fodor’s Travel, July 2022). Although most authors of nonfiction works go to great lengths to establish their ethos, using academic backgrounds and testimonials to support their expertise, Montell’s humility paired with the success of her previous book and the enthusiasm that radiates from her

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