A Hymn to Life
Shame has to change sides
The extraordinarily powerful memoir by a heroine of our times, whose story inspires change, compassion and courage.
One November day, Gisèle Pelicot was called to a local police station and life as she knew it ended. Her husband of fifty years had been caught by a supermarket guard filming up women’s skirts. But on his computer was shattering evidence: for nearly a decade, he had been secretly drugging and raping her and inviting dozens of strangers into their home to abuse her.
Four years later, he and fifty other men were put on trial and Gisèle’s courage in waiving her right to anonymity made global headlines. ‘Shame must change sides,’ she declared, giving voice and hope to millions. Her words became a rallying cry and her decision marked a turning point in public feeling about sexual violence.
For the first time, and with unwavering honesty and grace, she describes a difficult childhood, first love, her career and motherhood. It is a life in determined search of happiness, both before and after her devastating discovery. She is an ordinary person who faces extraordinary catastrophe, whose example changes the world.
A Hymn to Life is an unforgettable testament and a promise. Its message is one of defiance and renewal – that victims have no reason to feel ashamed; that even after unimaginable betrayal we can go on; that the colour can come back to life. Ultimately, Gisèle Pelicot emerges with a renewed passion and reverence for living, and for love.
Reviews
“An emblem of resilience for women everywhere.”
–Vogue
“Gisèle has challenged the patriarchy everywhere … She is a symbol of strength and survival.”
-Gloria Steinem
“This will be the most harrowing, and possibly the most important, memoir of 2026.”
–Daily Telegraph, *Books to Look Out For 2026*
“In her own words, translated from the French by Natasha Lehrer and Ruth Diver, Pelicot delivers a defiant retelling of her life story — not as a victim, but as a crusader.”
–The New York Times, Nonfiction Everyone Will Be Talking About in 2026
“Pelicot’s story of rape and sexual assault – and her decision to wave anonymity in the trial – turned her into a galvanizing figure for women across the world. Her writing her own story of everything that happened is also a call to action for others to do the same.”
–NPR, 10 books we’re looking forward to in early 2026
“In a Hymn to Life, Pelicot, who waived her right to anonymity in pursuit of justice, calls out a society pervasive in its contempt for women, that allows for and often facilitates sexual violence. In telling her own story Pelicot illustrates the urgent need for radical change in how we reckon with abuse and misogyny, both legally and societally.”
–Lit Hub’s Most Anticipated Books of 2026
“One of the biggest publishing stories of the year will be Gisèle Pelicot’s A Hymn to Life… Her decision to speak out and insist that “shame must change sides” made her a symbol of strength around the world, and her story promises to be a difficult but powerful read.”
–BBC, The 40 most exciting books to look forward to in 2026