Published on February 17th by Flammarion, the book And the joy of living Gisèle Pelicot's book quickly established itself as one of the biggest publishing successes of the year so far. This autobiographical account, written with journalist and author Judith Perrignon, retraces Gisèle Pelicot's personal story and the consequences of the Mazan rape trial, which became a major legal event in France.
In its first week on sale, the book sold 63.574 copies in France, according to data released by the publishing industry. It immediately topped the national bestseller lists, confirming the public's interest in this highly anticipated memoir.
The initial print run was around 150.000 copies, and several reprints were quickly launched to meet the high demand from bookstores. In total, the book has now sold over 100.000 copies in France.
A success that is rapidly spreading abroad
The success of Gisèle Pelicot's book was not limited to the French market. From the very first days following its release, And the joy of living has established itself in several international rankings.
The book became a number one bestseller in the United Kingdom, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Ireland. It also reached number one in independent bookstores in Quebec.
In other major markets, performance remains very high. Gisèle Pelicot's book ranked second in Canada, fourth in the Netherlands, and sixth in the United States.
This international reach is largely due to its near-simultaneous publication in numerous countries. The book has been translated and distributed in more than twenty languages, demonstrating the extent of the global interest this case has generated.
The Mazan rape case is at the heart of the story
In this book, Gisèle Pelicot revisits the legal case that deeply affected public opinion. Her ex-husband, Dominique Pelicot, was found guilty of drugging his wife for years and of organizing the rapes by dozens of men.
The highly publicized trial sparked strong emotions in France and abroad. During the hearings, Gisèle Pelicot made a particularly noteworthy decision: to waive the anonymity to which victims are normally entitled in this type of case.
This choice helped to make Gisèle Pelicot a symbolic figure in the fight against sexual violence and in defending the voices of victims.
"To tell my story in my own words"
In And the joy of livingGisèle Pelicot explains her desire to regain control of her narrative and convey a message of rebuilding. She writes that she wants to tell her story. "In my own words."
She also stated that she hopes that people facing similar violence "never feel shame."
The book thus addresses the facts, the trial and the personal journey that followed this ordeal.
An editorial phenomenon, but also a societal one.
The success of Gisèle Pelicot's book is part of a broader context of growing awareness about sexual violence and the importance given to the voices of victims.
For many observers of the publishing world, the scale of sales and international interest in And the joy of living illustrate the lasting impact of the Mazan rape case on public opinion.
Beyond sales figures, Gisèle Pelicot's testimony already appears as one of the most striking accounts of recent years on sexual violence, resilience and the reconstruction of victims.
