With all due respect, Warren granted Alice full, unfettered access to his ENTIRE LIFE: everyone connected with him in any possible way--family, relatives, friends, business associates, neighbors--you name it every aspect of his life. Warren told her-its ALL fair game! He specifically advised Alice to tell the whole story and he emphasized don't hold back . Get it all.

Alice essentially relocated, gave up several years of her life and put on hold an extremely successful career. Alice was authorized to tell the Warren Buffett story, and she is the only one ever authorized to do so. No one on this planet outside his family knows the Buffett story better than Alice., And no one is even in the ballpark.

And here's the key point--from what I understand from more than one source: Warren really LIKED the book!. He even told Alice he though she did great. I'm told FRIENDS of Warren were outraged that Alice spent so much time on the mental health issues in the family. IMO Alice presented this as respectfully as one could. The context was entirely appropriate. And it was important to include. Like I said, I don't think even Warren was bothered by it-til I believe he was told he should be.

Warren was blown away by Alice Schroeder's analyst work at Paine Webber. Thats what GOT her this gig. A report she did there a little over 25 yeas was the single greatest report on Berkshire I've ever read, and it was absolutely groundbreaking at the time. She covered Berkshire better than all the other "analysts" combined.

I would like nothing better than to see them reconnect. I think the whole flap over the book was a really, really raw deal for Alice. Time heals wounds. She did a phenomenal job.