Melinda French Gates on what billionaires with 'absurd' wealth owe back to society

"It takes philanthropy in concert with civil society and government — massive government funding — to change things ... " says Melinda French Gates. "Philanthropy cannot do it on its own." Jason Bell/Flatiron Books hide caption toggle caption Jason Bell/Flatiron Books Five years ago, Melinda French Gates stood at a crossroads. After 27 years of marriage to Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, she decided to walk away, not only from a relationship that had defined much of her adult life, but eventually the philanthropic empire they built together. Last spring, she left the Gates Foundation, the organization that had become the heartbeat of her professional identity. "Great wealth does not shield you," French Gates says. "I have an absurd amount of wealth and I'm doing my very best to give it away. … But what I want people to know is that I'm a human being and they may put a label on me, but that label doesn't really define who I am. … By being my authentic self, I hope they can see, OK, she...