William Safire

William Safire was an influential American author, political commentator, and speechwriter who wrote hundreds of columns, dozens of books, and scripts and speeches for prominent public figures. His writings and views on aspects such as religion, human behavior and personal growth have had a long-lasting impact on readers and thinkers.

Born in New York City in 1929, Safire was raised in Bronx by his parents, Ida and Oliver Safir. He completed his college education from Syracuse University in 1951 and immediately after, joined the U.S. Army, where he worked as an intelligence analyst and assistant press officer for the Middle East before returning to civilian life in 1953.

In 1961, Safire began his career as a word smith at the New York Times, where he wrote speeches for President Richard Nixon and then served as a speechwriter and aide to him. After Nixon's resignation, Safire worked as a columnist, writing his long-running column, “On Language” and “The Way We Live Now” for The New York Times Magazine. His writings earned him a reputation as an iconoclast, combining sharp wit and skepticism to probe the political and cultural landscape.

Safire's first book, “Safire's Political Dictionary,” was published in 1968, and it quickly became a bestseller. It was followed by several other books, including “Safire's White House Ghost Stories” (1971), “The First Dissident” (1973), and “The Language of Politics” (1976). His novels include “The Right Word in the Right Place at the Right Time”, “Scandalmonger” and “The Girl with the Lab Coat.” In addition to his writing, Safire was known as a sharp newspaper editor and served as Editor-at-Large of the Times.

In 1979, Safire received the Pulitzer Prize for his literary efforts and was inducted into the International Literary Hall of Fame. He was a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States, and he was also honored with several prizes and awards, including the National Press Club Award for contributions to the press.

William Safire's writing style was often described as "uniquely American," as he brought up points of view, metaphors and cultural imagery from his life in the United States. His writing was especially insightful when it came to the nuances of power, politics and ethical behavior. He sought to explore why people made the decisions they did, both in their personal lives and in government policy.

An outspoken critic of both political corruption and journalistic malpractice, Safire provided thoughtful and provocative analysis that often put him at odds with the mainstream media. He had numerous fans, including former President Bill Clinton who said of Safire: “His whole body of work over the past decades has spoken to the very best in all of us.”

William Safire left an impressive legacy of words, ideas and insights. From his exploration of language, to his provocative political commentary, Safire's writing has changed the way we think and debate issues. His contributions to the written word are still relevant and powerful today.