Business

MacKenzie Scott returns to fiction after 13 years

By Sohail Khan 20 August 2026, 4:42 pm

Benchmarks
Nifty24,231.85153.55

FEATURED FUNDS★★★★★

Motilal Oswal Midcap Fund Direct-Growth

5Y Return
23.26 %

Invest Now

Enter search text:

Business News›News›International›Global Trends›MacKenzie Scott, ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who has given away over $26 billion to 2,500+ nonprofits, returns to fiction in August after 13 years with new novel

Read Today's Paper

MacKenzie Scott, ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who has given away over $26 billion to 2,500+ nonprofits, returns to fiction in August after 13 years with new novel

Synopsis

MacKenzie Scott, ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, is returning to fiction after 13 years with her new 80,000-word novel, “Last Days in Two Nations (A History in Eighteen Minds).” The billionaire philanthropist, who has given away more than $26 billion to over 2,500 nonprofits, will release the novel serially throughout August via her new Substack newsletter. Scot previously published The Testing of Luther Albright and Traps.

Jeff Bezos' ex-wife MacKenzie Scott — Long before she became one of the world's most closely watched philanthropists, MacKenzie Scott was an aspiring novelist

MacKenzie Scott, the former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos who has given away more than $26 billion to over 2,500 nonprofit organizations, is returning to fiction after a 13-year publishing hiatus. The billionaire philanthropist has announced a new 80,000-word novel, “Last Days in Two Nations (A History in Eighteen Minds),” which she plans to release serially throughout August. The 317-page novel will be released serially throughout August through Scott’s newly launched Substack newsletter, which carries the same name as the book.

ALSO READ: Jeff Bezos’ ex-wife MacKenzie Scott, who sold half of her Amazon stake, helped erase $40 billion in medical debt with $100 million in donations

MacKenzie Scott announces new novel

MacKenzie Scott revealed the project earlier this month (August), sharing the novel’s title page, table of contents, character list and epigraphs with readers. However, she did not go into the details about the actual story.

Rather than releasing a conventional book announcement filled with plot details, Scott appears to be publishing the novel chapter by chapter through her Substack, according to a report in the New York Times. On Instagram, she urged followers to “read and subscribe” to follow the release.

ALSO READ: Europe’s youngest self-made billionaire: James Dacombe dropped out of high school at 17 to build his startup and now his wealth has crossed the $1 billion mark at 25

Her release schedule indicates that the novel will unfold throughout August, giving readers a rare opportunity to follow Scott’s fiction writing in real time.

The unusual rollout is also consistent with Scott’s low-key approach to public communication. Since 2020, she has primarily communicated through carefully written blog posts, particularly about her philanthropic work.

Scott studied creative writing under Toni Morrison

Long before she became one of the world's most closely watched philanthropists, Scott was an aspiring novelist. She studied creative writing at Princeton University, where she worked under celebrated novelist and Nobel laureate Toni Morrison. Morrison supervised Scott’s 168-page thesis, The Fathering Water, and later helped her secure a literary agent.

ALSO READ: 17-year-old Pennsylvania student Connor Hill wins $250,000 after computer algorithm solves decades-old geometry puzzle, identifying exactly 146 rare 3D shapes

Scott’s debut novel, “The Testing of Luther Albright,” was published in 2005 and received strong critical attention. Morrison also provided a blurb for the book.

Scott followed it with “Traps” in 2013, her second novel. Around that time, she gave a rare interview to Vogue while she was still married to Bezos. The publication of her new novel therefore represents a return to a part of her life that largely disappeared from public view for more than a decade.

From novelist to billionaire philanthropist

Scott’s literary career took a dramatic back seat after her divorce from Bezos in 2019. Following the divorce, she received a substantial stake in Amazon and quickly became one of the world's richest people. Instead of building a highly visible philanthropic organization, Scott adopted an unconventional approach: giving large, unrestricted grants directly to organizations.

She has donated billions of dollars to thousands of nonprofits, including organizations working in education, economic equity, environmental causes and social justice.

MacKenzie Scott remains intensely private

Despite her enormous wealth and influence, Scott has generally avoided interviews and public appearances. She has also openly expressed discomfort with the level of media attention surrounding her philanthropy.

In a 2022 post, Scott explained her decision to communicate publicly, writing: “A belief in a diversity of voices drives my own communication choices as well. It’s what inspired me to override a personal preference for privacy and write a series of essays that bring attention to the work of these organizations.”

Her return to fiction is therefore significant. After years of being known primarily for her billions in charitable giving and connection to Bezos, “Last Days in Two Nations” offers readers a glimpse into Scott the novelist once again.

Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source
Add Now!

(You can now subscribe to our WhatsApp channel)

(You can now subscribe to our WhatsApp channel)

Read More News on
MacKenzie ScottJeff BezosMacKenzie Scott novelLast Days in Two NationsMacKenzie Scott philanthropyMacKenzie Scott $26 billionAmazon founderbillionaire philanthropistToni MorrisonMacKenzie Scott Substack

Enter search text:

Continue reading with one of these options:
Limited Access
Free
Login to get access to some exclusive stories

& personalised newsletters
Login Now

Unlimited Access
Starting @ Rs120/month
Get access to exclusive stories, expert opinions &

in-depth stock reports
Subscribe Now

Unlock Access to All Exclusives with ETPrime FREE TRIAL

15 Days Free: Unlock All ETPrime Exclusives, Market Tools & ePapers

Trial offer expiring in00 : 05 : 00

I'd rather pay ₹2599 now

Uh-oh! This is an exclusive story available for selected readers only.

Worry not. You’re just a step away.

Prime Account Detected!

It seems like you're already an ETPrime member with

Log out of your current logged-in account and log in again using your ET Prime credentials to enjoy all member benefits.

Unlock ETPrime's Exclusive Stories Today!

Subscribe to gain powerful insights on business, stock market and industry trends.

Big Price Drop! Flat 40% Off

Student Only Offer

Already a Member? Sign In now

Already a Member? Sign In now
Already a Member? Sign In now

Offer Exclusively For You

Save up to Rs. 700/-

ON ET PRIME MEMBERSHIP

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

Get 1 Year Free

With 1 and 2-Year ET prime membership

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

Get 1 Year Free

With 1 and 2-Year ET prime membership

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

Get Flat 40% Off

Then ₹ 1749 for 1 year

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

ET Prime at ₹ 49 for 1 month

Then ₹ 1749 for 1 year

Avail Offer

Special Offer

Get flat 40% off on ETPrime

Avail Offer
Avail Offer

Claim NowAlready a Member? Sign In now

Need Assistance?

Connect with an ETPrime expert for personalized support and guidance

+91 9484700004

' + h3 + '

' + h4 + '

' + listing + '

What’s Included with

ETPrime Membership

1Exclusive Insights That Matter

Uncover the truth with our investigative stories

Make strategic moves using the real-world case studies

Read industry-specific stories to identify emerging trends

Spot opportunities with in-depth insights that matter

Trump temper on H-1B visas is forcing Indians to do these things to stay put in US

What Adani’s US indictment means for India Inc’s overseas fundraising
Why veterans like Reliance, L&T are on acquisition spree? Aswath Damodaran has an answer.

Will China’s dollar bond sale in Saudi Arabia trump the US in financial world?
Huawei launches its own OS to compete with Google and Apple. But can it win beyond China?

The problem with lab grown diamonds
Why a falling rupee is a better option for the economy

A list of top 20 momentum stocks that have delivered massive returns in one year