Database owner can't select

I'm a newbie.  I'll admit it.  I'm having some trouble.  I have 8.1 installed on ubuntu.  I have a simple database set up.  I have a new user set up and I can log in as that user.  I've set the owner of the simple database to that user with 'ALTER DATABASE [db] OWNER TO [user]', and this user shows up as the owner with '\l+'.  Yet, I can't do anything with the database as that user.  Can't even select.  I added select privaledges to a table for that user, and then select worked.

However, from what I can gather from reading this...

http://www.postgresql.org/docs/8.1/interactive/privileges.html

the owner should be able to do this kind of stuff without explicitly adding privs.  Any idea?  I assume the ORIGINAL owner has full privs, but a set owner does not.  Is this correct?

If so, is there any way to set privs for a new owner without explicitly listing each table?

Thanks in advance