MacKenzie Scott self-publishes dystopian novel on Substack with explicit political satire

MacKenzie Scott, the ex-spouse of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, started publishing her first post-divorce fiction, “Last Days in Two Nations (A History in Eighteen Minds),” as a daily serial on Substack beginning Aug 8. The 320-page dystopian story portrays a partial fascist seizure of the United States, featuring two sexually obsessed leaders—a “President priss” and a South African surgeon-president—set against a disputed Dakota territory called the Dakota Membership.

Scott, who obtained $38 billion in Amazon shares after her 2019 divorce and has donated $26 billion to left-leaning causes, studied writing with Toni Morrison at Princeton. The first five installments have drawn roughly 6,000 subscribers, and the work is offered for free to readers willing to follow the unconventional delivery. Critics note the novel’s explicit content and heavy political commentary, while some reviewers question the literary merit of her effort. No traditional publicity or interviews have been arranged, and her agent has not responded to inquiries.