Barbi Marković's New Book Turns a Poetry Lecture Into a Literary Countdown
In 1980, Barbi Marković was born in Belgrade and currently resides in Vienna. She released her book "Stehlen, Schimpfen, Spielen" through Rowohlt in 2025. This 144-page work was inspired by an invitation to give a poetry lecture at the University of Salzburg, which she received two years earlier. Although Marković hoped to feel more accomplished by the time of the event, she found herself with nothing written just thirteen days before. The story unfolds as a tense countdown, filled with introspection and memories of her childhood and earlier writings. At the age of 25, she gained acclaim for translating Thomas Bernhard's "Gehen" into Serbian, despite Suhrkamp Verlag rejecting her publication request. Her other notable works include "Superheldinnen," "Minihorror," and "Piksi-Buch," which cleverly mix humor, intelligence, and pop culture.
Key facts
- Barbi Marković was born in Belgrade in 1980 and lives in Vienna
- Her new book "Stehlen, Schimpfen, Spielen" was published by Rowohlt in 2025 and runs 144 pages
- The book originated from a University of Salzburg invitation to give a poetry lecture, issued two years in advance
- The narrative begins thirteen days before the lecture with nothing written
- Marković translated Thomas Bernhard's "Gehen" into Serbian at age 25, transposing it to Belgrade's party scene
- Suhrkamp Verlag initially forbade publication of her Serbian remix but later published the German translation of "Ausgehen"
- Her other books include "Superheldinnen," "Minihorror," and "Piksi-Buch"
- The personified poetry lecture appears in the text, weeping in the author's kitchen because it had hoped for more Walter Benjamin, Kurt Vonnegut, and Virginia Woolf
Entities
Artists
- Barbi Marković
- Thomas Bernhard
- Walter Benjamin
- Kurt Vonnegut
- Virginia Woolf
Institutions
- University of Salzburg
- Suhrkamp Verlag
- Rowohlt
- NZZ.ch
Locations
- Belgrade
- Serbia
- Vienna
- Austria
- Salzburg