Johanna Sebauer liest aus »Popóm«

The Book:

Can the same person exist twice?
Hendrik Popom had imagined his late twenties would be different. Nothing seems to go right for him. He’s just biding his time at his agency job; things used to be better with his girlfriend; and then suddenly there’s this man—Popóm. He’s almost twice as old, and yet Hendrik knows: This man is me.
The two approach each other hesitantly. Their relationship is full of mysteries, affection, and resistance. Hendrik hopes to find in his other self what’s missing in his life—stability and confidence. But the more he clings to Popóm, the more Popóm pulls away. When he confides in a colleague, he realizes the high price one pays for withdrawing from life.
In *Popóm*, the classic literary motif of the doppelgänger unfolds against the backdrop of an increasingly confusing present. Following the great success of her debut, *Nincshof*, and the short story *Das Gurkerl*, which won multiple awards at the Bachmann Competition, Johanna Sebauer once again explores the boundaries between fiction and reality—with a light touch and subtle humor.

The Author:

JOHANNA SEBAUER, born in Vienna in 1988, grew up in Burgenland. Her novel *Nincshof* (DuMont 2023) was awarded the Debut Prize at the Harbour Front Literature Festival and was shortlisted for the 2023 Hamburg Book of the Year. Her short story *Das Gurkerl* (DuMont 2026) won the 3sat Prize and the Audience Award at the 2024 Bachmann Competition. After many years in Hamburg, Johanna Sebauer now lives once again in a small village in Burgenland.