Neil Strauss

Journalist who published The Game (2005)

Neil Strauss

Strauss in January 2009
Nationality	American
Other names	Style
Occupation	Journalist, author
Years active	1990s–
Known for	The Game (2005); handle Style
Notable work	The Game (2005); Rules of the Game (2007); The Truth (2015)

Neil Strauss is the journalist who embedded with Mystery's scene and published The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists (2005). The book is why "PUA" left the forums. In the scene he used the handle Style.

A 2004 New York Times style piece, "He Aims! He Shoots! Yes!!", was the public on-ramp to the same reporting. Rules of the Game (2007) is the workbook sequel. The Truth (2015) is Strauss on the personal cost of that life. Both later books are sources here; neither is scripture.

In the community

The Game is ethnography with a plot: Project Hollywood, the rivalry with Tyler Durden, Ross Jeffries as "godfather," Mystery's collapse and return. It is the reason civilians know negging, peacocking, and sarging. It is not a how-to. Club-routine layers dated fast; the observations about approach anxiety, social proof, and scarcity did not.

Strauss is in-scope as the named journalist of the 2000s scene, not as a current coach. Technique leads stay with Chase Amante.

See also

• The Game (book)
• Mystery (pickup artist)
• Owen Cook
• Project Hollywood
• Pickup artist
• Seduction community