Gisèle Pelicot's memoir out in Polish on 12 November, with Warsaw event on 24 November

The Polish edition of the autobiography by Gisèle Pelicot, the Frenchwoman whose story and the trial of her abusers drew attention around the world, will be published on 12 November 2026. The book, "Hymn do życia. Niech się wstydzą oni", comes out from Wydawnictwo Literackie.

About the book

The translator is Oskar Hedemann. According to the publisher, it is a moving memoir by a victim of gang rape committed in the privacy of her own home. Polish Radio Trójka describes the book's message as one of hope and of emerging from darkness after an unimaginable betrayal.

Pelicot was drugged for years by her husband, who then raped her and allowed strangers to do the same. As PAP recalls, the Frenchwoman, now 73, agreed to a public trial of her abusers and became a symbol of the fight for the dignity of victims of sexual violence. The trial widened the international debate on sexual violence and victims' rights, and in France it contributed to a change in the criminal-law definition of rape and sexual assault.

Meeting with the author in Warsaw

On Tuesday 24 November 2026 at 7pm, a meeting with Gisèle Pelicot will take place at the Agnieszka Osiecka Studio in Warsaw. It will be hosted by Katarzyna Borowiecka. The conversation will be recorded and rebroadcast on Trójka.

Also available in English

Pelicot's memoir has already been published in the UK as "A Hymn to Life". According to Rzeczpospolita, the audiobook is read by the actress Emma Thompson. Polish media have also reported that the author was invited to a literary festival in Wales.

What this means for you

People living in the UK can read the book in English or choose the Polish edition if they prefer to read in Polish. The 24 November meeting takes place in Warsaw, and the conversation is due to be broadcast on Trójka, so those outside Poland may be able to listen. The sources do not say whether it will be available online.