William Safire Biography

Journalist, author. Born on December 17, 1929, in New York City, New York. William Safire is perhaps best known for his famous New York Times Magazine column "On Language."

A former speechwriter and public relations writer, and special assistant to President Richard Nixon, Safire joined The New York Times as a Washington-based columnist in 1973. He won a 1978 Pulitzer Prize for commentary.

Safire has written numerous books on writing and language, including How Not to Write: The Essential Misrules of Grammar (2005). Delving into fiction, he wrote four novels: Full Disclosure (1977), Freedom (1987), Sleeper Spy (1995), and Scandalmonger (2000).

Safire died on September 27, 2009, after a long struggle with pancreatic cancer. He lived near Washington, D.C. with his wife. He is survived by his wife Helene; their children Mark and Annabel; and a granddaughter.

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