The Next Day

'You don't get to be my age without navigating all kinds of transitions. Some you anticipated and some you never expected. Some you embraced and some you resisted. Some you hoped for and some you fought as hard as you could.' - Melinda French Gates

During times of transition, we step out of our familiar surroundings and into a new landscape, a space that can be filled with possibility but also shadowed by uncertainty. The Next Day accompanies readers through that space, offering guidance to anyone - young or old - who is navigating change, finding their bearings, or trying to move forward when the ground beneath you is shifting.

In this deeply personal book, Melinda writes about the joyful upheaval of becoming a parent, the death of a close friend, her life after divorce, and her departure from the Gates Foundation. Sometimes funny, sometimes poignant, the stories she tells illuminate universal lessons about loosening the bonds of perfectionism, helping friends through times of crisis, trusting your inner voice, and more.

Each one of us, no matter who we are or where we are in life, is headed toward a transition of our own. With her signature warmth and grace, Melinda empowers readers to make the most of the space between an ending and a beginning and find the courage and confidence to embrace a new day.

About the Author

Melinda French Gates is a philanthropist, businesswoman, and global advocate for women and girls.

For over 25 years, Melinda has led efforts to unlock a healthier, more prosperous, more equal future. Today, she heads Pivotal, an organization she formed in 2015 that works to accelerate the pace of progress and advance women's power and influence in the U.S. and around the world. Previously, she founded and co-chaired the Gates Foundation, where, for more than two decades, she set the direction and priorities of the world's largest philanthropy. Melinda is also the author of the bestselling book The Moment of Lift and the creator of Moment of Lift Books, an imprint publishing original non-fiction by visionaries working to unlock a more equal world.

Melinda grew up in Dallas, Texas and attended Duke University, where she received a bachelor's degree in computer science and economics and an MBA. She spent the first decade of her career developing multimedia products at Microsoft before leaving the company to focus on her family and philanthropic work. Melinda has three children - Jenn, Rory, and Phoebe - and lives in Seattle, Washington.