Alex Fang in Discussion with Virginie Actis and John Knych of Printim Editions

Join us for an enlightening discussion centered around Six Records of a Floating Life (1877), an intimate exploration of love, memory, and late imperial Chinese society. Translated from Classical Chinese into English by Alex Fang (2025), this nonlinear autobiography shares the travels of Shen Fu through Qing China and his poignant married life with Yun, the woman he fell in love with as a child.

🌊 The records, each self-contained yet interconnected, reflect on a life rich with pleasure, pain, freedom, and frustration, telling a story of surfaces and depths. Virginie Actis and John Knych will engage with Alex about the memoir’s enduring appeal and its relevance in today’s world, where our inner lives are increasingly commoditized.

Alex Fang is a Brooklyn-based lawyer, poet, and former journalist, with a background in Hangzhou that enriches her understanding of the landscape and literary sensibilities captured in her translation. Her work has appeared in The Black Warrior Review, Nikkei Asia, The Financial Times, and more. Alex holds degrees from Columbia Journalism School and Harvard Law School.

Virginie Actis is a founder of Printim Editions, specializing in foreign translation. A professor at La Sorbonne University, her research delves into the comparative study of melancholy in the works of Gustave Flaubert and Herman Melville. She has co-translated several works, enhancing the reach of important voices.

John Knych, also a founder of Printim Editions, holds master’s degrees from Columbia University and SciencesPo and has a background in journalism. He teaches business at IÉSEG School of Management in Paris and has translated various literary works, broadening the access to international literature.

📍 Location: Accent Sisters 重音社
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