Neil Strauss is an author and journalist famous for writing about his experience in the seduction community. Neil’s book “The Game” dives into the inner workings of the pick up scene, the New York Times best seller has sold over 2.5 million copies. He has been successful with women, but what happened to Neil Strauss? Here’s a look at his dating life and what he’s doing now.
What Happened to Neil Strauss?
Neil Strauss left the PUA industry in 2010 and married model Ingrid De La O in August 2013 after three years of dating. Before getting married, Neil had a funeral-themed bachelor’s party, laying to rest his ‘Style’ persona.
The couple also have a son together. When Strauss announced the baby news, he shared the release date of his book “The Truth: An Uncomfortable Book About Relationships.” The book details how Strauss realized all the dates were not fulfilling for him and that marriage finally made him content.
In October 2018, Strauss and his wife, Ingrid De La O, sadly got divorced. In February 2020, he talked about his divorce on a podcast with Gabrielle Reece and thankfully he’s still on good terms with this ex-partner.
Who is Neil Strauss?
Neil Darrow Strauss was born on March 9, 1969, in Chicago. Strauss rocketed to fame with his 2005 bestseller “The Game.” He dives into his journey to master the art of seduction, detailing his transformation into a “pickup artist.” His vivid narratives bring to life the underground world of seduction, communities where men share tips on attracting women. An intriguing figure in the book is “Mystery,” with whom he remains close friends today.
The book was a huge success, bringing pickup artists into the mainstream. It resulted in an explosion of companies such as Real Social Dynamics, aimed at helping men improve their social skills. Some of these firms charge thousands of dollars for weekend bootcamps where guys train with pickup coaches and gain real-life experience chatting to women.
Does he Regret Writing The Game?
Now aged 57, he is a completely different person. Strauss doesn’t regret writing “The Game” but does find it difficult to re-read his book in an age of consent. “I see The Game as a late adolescence.. I am embarrassed by a lot of my thoughts in The Game, for sure.”
What is he Doing Now?
Currently, he lives in Malibu and has a True Crime podcast called “To Live and Die in LA” which covers the death of Adea Shabani. Shabani was an aspiring actress who vanished from her Hollywood apartment one day. In December 2021, Neil became the first author to mint a book on Ethereum.
Strauss continues to live in Malibu and remains one of the most prolific authors and journalists in his field. His true crime podcast “To Live and Die in LA,” reached number one on the iTunes charts and was named the best podcast of the year by the Associated Press.
He followed that success with a second true crime podcast, “To Die For,” produced with Tenderfoot TV and iHeartPodcasts. The series explores the world of Russian sexpionage, based on the first-hand account of a former Russian citizen who claims to have been trained as a seduction agent by the FSB.
On the writing front, Strauss co-authored “The Creative Act: A Way of Being” with legendary music producer Rick Rubin, released in January 2023. The book debuted at number one on the New York Times Bestseller list. He also co-wrote “I Can’t Make This Up” with Kevin Hart, another New York Times bestseller.
In December 2021, Neil became the first mainstream author to mint a book on Ethereum – “Survive All Apocalypses: From Machine Uprisings to Bear Markets” – which was later acquired by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) for its permanent collection in February 2023.
In January 2025, Strauss announced his first solo book in more than seven years. Beyond his writing, he runs The Society, an invite-only mastermind group of 100 highly motivated leaders focused on self-improvement. Something he has described as among the things he is most proud of.
