Giving It All Away

Doris Buffett's new authorized biography, Giving It All Away, by Michael Zitz, is now available. Here's my plug - you should read it. Doris has lived an unusual life and the book is an interesting read. Who else would impersonate a nun to travel in the U.S. incognito while getting divorced?

Doris is a straightforward, no-nonsense person, and you will get the goods from her without obfuscation. She speaks candidly about the family's history of mental illness and her mother's psychological abuse of the children. More than anyone else in the family, Doris faced these realities unflinchingly, long before The Snowball was published and made it safe to talk about them. Over the course of her life, Doris has become a fearless person, as you will see when you read her story. The episode in 1987 when her stock market trading almost bankrupted her and Warren wouldn't cover her losses is gut-wrenching as seen from her perspective.

Another reason I recommend this book is that it contains some stories and details that were cut from The Snowball. This 1987 story is a good example -- it was a bigger episode in Doris's life than Warren's and accordingly gets more real estate in this book. Those of you who are interested in more about the young Buffetts's lives also will find it here, as seen through Doris's eyes.

Doris has a special place in my heart. We have had some grand times at her homes in Virginia and Maine, as well as in Nebraska during the shareholder meetings. She has done more to turn her life around than anyone I have ever met. As someone who's had bad luck with her marriages, she knows how to recognize men who mistreat women, so when I was getting married for the second time, she quizzed me with great insight about David's personality before granting her approval! Fortunately, she approved, and she and David are now mutual fans.

Great book. Doris, bravissima.