Author & Grateful Dead superfan Steve Silberman dies age 66 as husband pays tribute to ‘best friend’ after tragic news

ACCLAIMED writer and journalist Steve Silberman has died at the age of 66.

Silberman is best known for his contributions to Wired magazine and his 2015 bestselling book , Neurotribes, which focuses on autism rights and neurodiversity movements.

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“Sorry to start your day with bad news,” Silberman’s husband, Keith, wrote .

Silberman married Keith, a high school science teacher, in 2003.

“It’s my very sad duty to inform you all that @stevesilberman.bsky.social, my wonderful husband and best friend, passed away last night,” he continued.

Keith noted that he would share additional information “later.”

He also asked for his friends and followers to “please take a moment to remember [Silberman’s] kindness, humor, wisdom, and love.”

Silberman studied psychology at Oberlin College before receiving a master’s degree in English literature from Berkeley.

In 1979, he moved to San Francisco, citing the city’s music scene and LGBT-friendly community.

In his 20s, he was notably a teaching assistant for American poet and writer Allen Ginsberg at Naropa University.

As a writer, his articles appeared in Wired, The New York Times, The New Yorker, Nature, Salon, The Boston Globe, and The Financial Times.

Over the years, he received many prestigious awards, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Kavli Science Journalism Award for Magazine Writing in 2010.

In 2011, Silberman’s X account made the list of best Twitter feeds.

His bestselling book, Neurotribes, was awarded the Samuel Johnson Prize, an annual British book prize for best non-fiction writing in the English language.

It was also chosen as one of the Best Books of 2015 by The New York Times, The Economist, The Boston Globe, The Independent, and The Financial Times.

In 2016, Silberman gave the keynote address at the United Nations on World Autism Awareness Day.

Steve Silberman's Awards & Notable Works

Over his lifetime, Silberman received many awards and accolades for his writing and producing, including:

• 2015 Samuel Johnson Prize
• 2015 Books for a Better Life Psychology Award, Southern New York National Multiple Sclerosis Society
• 2016 Health Book of the Year, Medical Journalists’ Association
• 2016 Silver Medal, Nonfiction, California Book Awards
• 2016 Erikson Institute Prize for Excellence in Mental Health Media
• 2016 ARC Catalyst Awards Author of the Year

In addition to his 2015 non-fiction book, NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity, he also wrote the 1994 book, Skeleton Key: A Dictionary for Deadheads.

Silberman wasn’t just a writer and an advocate, however.

He was also a Grateful Dead superfan and recognized widely by the music community.

For his work co-producing the Grateful Dead’s career-spanning box set, So Many Roads (1965-1995), he won a gold record from the Recording Industry Association of America.

The set was also named Rolling Stone’s box set of the year.

In 2017, he appeared in the documentary film Long Strange Trip, which included newly conducted interviews with the band’s living members, their family, and friends.

In the last few months, Silberman was vocal about his opposition to former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy and his running mate, Nicole Shanahan .

He called Shanahan “so dangerous for disabled people like her own daughter,” and wrote about how she was “playing into one of the darkest chapters of the Kennedy legacy.”

Silberman died suddenly on August 29, 2024, and no cause of death was immediately revealed.

His last post on Instagram celebrated Scientific American’s 179th “birthday,” making it the “oldest continuous publication in America.”

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Silberman’s friends and author community paid tributes to the writer on social media, celebrating his life and legacy.

“Absolutely devastated by the news that @stevesilberman has passed,” wrote Ferris Jabr, the author of Becoming Earth: How Our Planet Came to Life.

“He was a brilliant writer and one of the most honest and generous people I’ve ever known, full of wisdom and advice,” he added.

“What a life he lived and oh how many lives he made immeasurably better.”

Skyler McKinley, a friend of Silberman’s, wrote that he will be “remembered as such an important voice for so many communities.”

He also credited Silberman’s “curious spirit and incisive wit,” adding that he’ll “miss him.”

The Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism also paid tribute to their “dear friend,” who they called a “tireless and enthusiastic ally to our entire community.”

“His book NeuroTribes enlightened, empowered, & educated millions about autism and autistic people.

“May his memory be a blessing,” they added.

Journalist Yashar Ali also reflected on his time with Silberman, saying he was “blown away” by what he learned after reading NeuroTribes.

He called Silberman’s acclaimed work “one of many remarkable contributions in a remarkable life,” adding that the writer and advocate “kindly educated” him on several issues.

“Steve was very supportive of me—and many others—and I am so grateful for his graciousness,” he wrote, offering his condolences to Silberman’s husband.

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