Amanda, Amanda Montel, welcome back to Iway, howie? I'm great. I remember the first time we recorded together on your show, you asked me,

how are you?

And I froze and panicked because I was intimidated

by your beauty, obviously.

And I said, I'm gorgeous.

And I was so embarrassed for months, for months. I don't even think I clocked that because I think you are so gorgeous why I was like

fact... Factual. She remains a factual truth teller and that's why I love you and so you're back yeah

you've written another fucking book you are so intimidating that I could

punch you in the face it It's so annoying how well researched and

clever and important this book is. How dare you? Oh my god! Thank you for this violent compliment.

I appreciate that.

So annoyed.

Okay, so before we get into your book which is about magical overthinking, I want to first understand what magical thinking is just for anyone who might not be aware.

Yeah, magical thinking is a habit that all human beings have and

and we have since the dawn of our species, our very mystical species. It describes our proclivity to think that our internal thoughts and

emotions can affect external events. So I was first exposed to this idea in

Joan Didion's memoir,

The Year of Magical Thinking, which is about the untimely death

of her husband.

And in the wake of that tragedy,

she noticed herself start to make these really irrational

cause and effect connections.

...