"Talented guy, but a tad arrogant"
He had a place at the Muitany Bay club in Coconut Grove back in late 70's. My friends were valets and on several occasions carried Buffet's groceries to his suite. He never tipped them, but they wern't the type to hold out their hands either.
To give him credith though, I read A Pirate after 50. Based on that read it seems to me that he has mellowed and changed tremendously since his early days.
I've never read that book, but others have echo'd your viewpoint about it.
As for the tipping, thats not a surprise. His extended family here in Cincy is comprised of trust fund babies. One of them actually lectured me on why you don't "talk to the help" at a summer home in Maine, circa 1979.
I ended my relationship with that family as a direct result.