Starting from scratch, simply by picking stocks and companies for investment, Warren Buffett amassed one of the epochal fortunes of the twentieth century - an astounding net worth of $10 billion, and counting. If you had been among the lucky few sitting in his study in Omaha at the start of his career in 1956, and had invested $10,000 with him and kept your money with him throughout, your original investment would be worth $80 million today.

That awesome record has made him a cult figure popularly known for his seeming contradictions: a billionaire who has a modest lifestyle, a phenomenally successful investor who eschews the revolving-door trading of modern Wall Street, a brilliant deal-maker who cultivates a homespun aura.

But just who is the Oracle of Omaha, and why is he so successful? In his illuminating biography, journalist Roger Lowenstein draws on three years of unprecedented access to Buffett's family, friends, and colleagues to provide the first definitive, inside account of the life and career of this American original. Buffett reveals a man whose conscientiousness, integrity, and good humor exist alongside an odd emotional isolation.

It shows how Buffett's investment strategy - a long-term philosophy grounded in buying stock in companies that are undervalued on the market and hanging on until their worth inevitably surfaces - is a reflection of his inner self.