Giving it All Away: The Doris Buffett Story

By Michael Zitz
The Permanent Press, $28.00, 224 pages

Doris Buffett is an extraordinary person in her own right, but is probably better known as Warren Buffett’s sister.  In Giving It All Away:  The Doris Buffett Story, author Michael Zitz gives us an affectionate look at the life of this remarkable woman.

Like most of us, Buffett’s life was shaped by her childhood.  Unfortunately, as Zitz illustrates with anecdotes  — some amusing, some merely painful  — her  childhood was one of an abusive mother and an often-absent father, which left Doris an insecure and unhappy adult with several failed marriages and estranged children of her own.  Fortunately (though rather late in life, at the age of 69), Doris found her calling: Having inherited a fortune, she determined to give it all away to people who “through no fault of their own” needed a hand-up, not just a “hand-out.”  So far, she has managed to disperse more than $100 million.

In this well-written work, Zitz covers many aspects of Buffett’s life, as well as outlining the success of some of her programs which benefit society as a whole as a fringe benefit of helping individuals get off welfare or escape homelessness. An endearing section of  “thank you” notes from recipients relates  exactly how Buffet’s help changed lives.

While well researched with 200 hours of personal interviews with Buffett family and friends, this is not a scholarly work, but a very readable biographical glimpse into the life of this remarkable woman.

Reviewed by Claudette Smith