Steve was a dear, dear friend of mine. His sudden death has shocked all of us -- and there are so many! -- who loved him. Colin, you are an artist whose work has meant the world to me -- it gives me such comfort to know that you and your beautiful family were close to Steve as well!!
Thank you for writing this. I have been going through my years of e-mail correspondence with Steve (it's too much to consider perusing all the texts, not to mention "sends" on the Well,) dating back almost 40 years. This morning I found an old e-mail I'd sent him alerting to some Colin Meloy utterance about him and his ongoing effect on the Meloy family, and Steve's contemporaneous response of thanks. It was probably an act of graciousness on Steve's part not to suggest he'd already seen your post, as Steve saw *everybody*'s posts before anyone else did, and it was hard to hip him to much of anything, other perhaps than a newly unearthed archival live recording of Oregon or John Abercrombie. I missed Steve this morning, as Friday's were often begun by a shared notice of any new music releases. I'm glad you wrote, and ever so glad for that wonderful photo, and for your love sent to Keith's husband and sister.
I remember reading that book after our son received his diagnosis. Even though it’s the size of a yoga block, it’s insanely readable—and it made my wife and I so much more comfortable with our life ahead of us as parents. Since then I’ve been a huge Steve Silberman fan. His political and disability insights will be missed and his passing makes me sad even though I never had the chance to meet him.
I loved Steve. I first met him through our neighborhood facebook group, which he created and served as an administrator, I often saw him around the neighborhood and I consider his sister a good friend. I also met both his mother and husband at his book signing.
He was such a brilliant man with many interests. In addition to Neurotribes, he was one of the top authorities on the Grateful Dead and wrote a book about them as well as liner notes for their albums. He also worked with both Allen Ginsburg and Oliver Sacks and was a close friend of David Crosby. Above all he was a mensch.
Hi Colin. This is Carol Greenburg from Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism. I just wanted to thank you for the shoutout, and the beautiful tribute to Steve. We’re pretty shattered. Shannon already shared on our Bluesky account for TPGA, and I hope you don’t mind my sharing it on my personal Bluesky account as well.
Steve was a friendly acquaintance via the (overlapping) Well and Grateful Dead circles. I hadn’t known that Hank was autistic, but of course it now makes total sense that your tribute would pop up here, along with the scores of others across the social media landscape. I appreciate your words, Colin. He made a difference in so many, many people’s lives.
I, too, found Neurotribes revolutionary. And such a comfort, to not have to look at neurodiversity as a disaster. I’m so sad that Steve has been lost so young, with more to give!
I actually first heard of Neurotribes and consequently the wide world of neurodiversity via a long-ago tweet of yours, Colin, and for that I am so grateful. I am a better parent, friend, and person for all that I have learned from him and from the autistic community.
I’ll try to keep this brief, although that’s not my strongpoint. I had the pleasure of working with many people in the neurodivergent community when I went to work in the field after retraining and entering the field in my 30’s. I was actually reintroduced to a number of people that had been in my elementary school as a child when the local school system opened up the schools to people with differing abilities and closed down the “special” schools in my community. I got to know a bunch of people from my childhood a lot better as adults and that we are all people first. That was the self-advocacy group that they had and which they welcomed me to as an advisor. I eventually went on to different positions in different fields but I learned a great deal about personhood. I’ve now been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and, as my memory and cognition diminishes, I try to remember that I too, am a person first.
I was working at a high level, very switched on international school in Beijing when Neurotribes came out. It became required reading during our whole school initiative to rethink teaching and learning at the school with a focus on advocacy and support of our diverse student body.
Steve was and is a rock star for any educator who is committed to understanding and supporting neurodiversity in schools. Wow, what a loss!
Thank you for your thoughtful words. The news of Steve's death deeply saddens me. I read Neurotribes in 2019 after my son was diagnosed with autism at age nine. It was revolutionary. As a parent and public school teacher, this book shifted my entire perspective on autism and taught me so much about its history, all of which were essential in better understanding my son and my autistic students. I am forever grateful to Steve and his work.
Thanks Colin. My wife and I had the same reaction to Steve’s book and we kept in touch through email. Extremely compassionate guy and I looked forward to his post every day
Steve was a dear, dear friend of mine. His sudden death has shocked all of us -- and there are so many! -- who loved him. Colin, you are an artist whose work has meant the world to me -- it gives me such comfort to know that you and your beautiful family were close to Steve as well!!
Thank you for writing this. I have been going through my years of e-mail correspondence with Steve (it's too much to consider perusing all the texts, not to mention "sends" on the Well,) dating back almost 40 years. This morning I found an old e-mail I'd sent him alerting to some Colin Meloy utterance about him and his ongoing effect on the Meloy family, and Steve's contemporaneous response of thanks. It was probably an act of graciousness on Steve's part not to suggest he'd already seen your post, as Steve saw *everybody*'s posts before anyone else did, and it was hard to hip him to much of anything, other perhaps than a newly unearthed archival live recording of Oregon or John Abercrombie. I missed Steve this morning, as Friday's were often begun by a shared notice of any new music releases. I'm glad you wrote, and ever so glad for that wonderful photo, and for your love sent to Keith's husband and sister.
I remember reading that book after our son received his diagnosis. Even though it’s the size of a yoga block, it’s insanely readable—and it made my wife and I so much more comfortable with our life ahead of us as parents. Since then I’ve been a huge Steve Silberman fan. His political and disability insights will be missed and his passing makes me sad even though I never had the chance to meet him.
I loved Steve. I first met him through our neighborhood facebook group, which he created and served as an administrator, I often saw him around the neighborhood and I consider his sister a good friend. I also met both his mother and husband at his book signing.
He was such a brilliant man with many interests. In addition to Neurotribes, he was one of the top authorities on the Grateful Dead and wrote a book about them as well as liner notes for their albums. He also worked with both Allen Ginsburg and Oliver Sacks and was a close friend of David Crosby. Above all he was a mensch.
Hi Colin. This is Carol Greenburg from Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism. I just wanted to thank you for the shoutout, and the beautiful tribute to Steve. We’re pretty shattered. Shannon already shared on our Bluesky account for TPGA, and I hope you don’t mind my sharing it on my personal Bluesky account as well.
Steve was a friendly acquaintance via the (overlapping) Well and Grateful Dead circles. I hadn’t known that Hank was autistic, but of course it now makes total sense that your tribute would pop up here, along with the scores of others across the social media landscape. I appreciate your words, Colin. He made a difference in so many, many people’s lives.
I, too, found Neurotribes revolutionary. And such a comfort, to not have to look at neurodiversity as a disaster. I’m so sad that Steve has been lost so young, with more to give!
I actually first heard of Neurotribes and consequently the wide world of neurodiversity via a long-ago tweet of yours, Colin, and for that I am so grateful. I am a better parent, friend, and person for all that I have learned from him and from the autistic community.
I’ll try to keep this brief, although that’s not my strongpoint. I had the pleasure of working with many people in the neurodivergent community when I went to work in the field after retraining and entering the field in my 30’s. I was actually reintroduced to a number of people that had been in my elementary school as a child when the local school system opened up the schools to people with differing abilities and closed down the “special” schools in my community. I got to know a bunch of people from my childhood a lot better as adults and that we are all people first. That was the self-advocacy group that they had and which they welcomed me to as an advisor. I eventually went on to different positions in different fields but I learned a great deal about personhood. I’ve now been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and, as my memory and cognition diminishes, I try to remember that I too, am a person first.
Thanks for sharing that beautiful picture of Steve and Keith. It deserves to be in a frame.
I was working at a high level, very switched on international school in Beijing when Neurotribes came out. It became required reading during our whole school initiative to rethink teaching and learning at the school with a focus on advocacy and support of our diverse student body.
Steve was and is a rock star for any educator who is committed to understanding and supporting neurodiversity in schools. Wow, what a loss!
Gutted to learn this. His work was literally life-changing for so many, including us.
Well said. Thanks again for these heartfelt posts.
Thank you for your thoughtful words. The news of Steve's death deeply saddens me. I read Neurotribes in 2019 after my son was diagnosed with autism at age nine. It was revolutionary. As a parent and public school teacher, this book shifted my entire perspective on autism and taught me so much about its history, all of which were essential in better understanding my son and my autistic students. I am forever grateful to Steve and his work.
Thank you, Colin.
Thanks Colin. My wife and I had the same reaction to Steve’s book and we kept in touch through email. Extremely compassionate guy and I looked forward to his post every day