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What is your earliest memory?
I was three, and it was the first of February, the day my younger brother was born. I was standing with my father on the landing of the tiny Georgian cottage that I was born in, looking out on to this bleak landscape of the garden, and the builders. Our bathroom was being built. We didn’t have a bathroom, we had a lavatory in a shed. We bathed in a tin tub in the kitchen. This was Chelsea in the 1950s. -
Who was or still is your mentor?
Ursula Owen, one of the founding directors of Virago Press. She was my boss for the 12 years I worked at Virago. She became one of my dearest and closest friends. She taught me so much. She’s generous, life-giving, funny, tough, clever, warm. She’s huge fun. She lives life with everything she’s got. -
How fit are you?
Pretty fit. Seven years ago, I had a heart attack, and I was told I had to begin taking exercise, particularly walking. I had to hang up my high heels and start pounding the streets of London, which has turned into a great joy. I now wear trainers and walk for at least half an hour a day. I swim when I can, I’ve even started a bit of yoga, so I’m quite proud of myself. -
Tell me about an animal you have loved.
There are quite a few. Most recently, I was living in a riad in Marrakech for two weeks teaching master classes, and I had two little sparrows. One of them slept on a lamp in my bedroom. Every morning I’d chat to them and give them breakfast, I looked for them every evening when I got back, and I wish I could have taken them home. -
Risk or caution, which has defined your life more?
I’m naturally cautious but I sometimes take huge risks and throw all the cards of my life up into the air. Most recently, leaving Bloomsbury after over 20 years and starting a new company with three friends — that’s a big risk. -
What trait do you find most irritating in others?
Arrogance. -
What trait do you find most irritating in yourself?
Work obsession. -
What drives you on?
Passion for writers and writing, all the way. But at the same time, I have an absolute necessity for fun and travel. -
Do you believe in an afterlife?
I don’t. I grew up with left-wing, atheist parents. -
Which is more puzzling, the existence of suffering or its frequent absence?
The existence of suffering. So much suffering. Why is that? Why does suffering exist? -
Name your favourite river.
I live on a houseboat on the river Thames in Chelsea. The river is my daily companion, it’s the centre of my life. I go up and down on its tides, 20 feet twice a day, I go to sleep with the rocking of the tides. I have the birds of the river around me, incredible wildlife, beautiful light. It sings to me. -
What would you have done differently?
I’d have had more children. I have one amazing son, Daniel, and I regret that he doesn’t have siblings. In another life I would have loved to have a large family. I’ve had that through work and through having two amazing stepdaughters, though.
Alexandra Pringle is a founding director of Virago Press and a former editor-in-chief at Bloomsbury. Her current venture, Silk Road Slippers, includes writing masterclasses, silkroadslippers.com/masterclasses
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