Watched it already? Listen to the book!

Books can capture the imagination like few other mediums can, so it’s no wonder that lots of the things we watch onscreen are derived from great written works.

The titles below have all been made into films or TV series – you may have seen the screen adaptations already, but now you can listen to the original stories with Storytel, an app with a vast library of audiobooks.

Writer: Naguib Mahfouz
What’s it about? Set in the city of Alexandria in the 1960s, Mahfouz’s novel revolves around the residents of a pension called Miramar and their interactions with the servant girl Zahra. Each character tells the story from their perspective, giving readers an insight into their values and life in Egypt at that time.

Did you know? The film adaptation, which starred Shadia, Yousef Wahbey and Yousef Shabaan, was made in 1969 and the story was brought to the stage at the Cairo Opera House in 2005. Miramar Pension was built by the Italian Egyptian architect Giacomo Alessandro Loria in 1926 and since the book’s publication, it has become a popular draw for tourists.

Writer: Ahmed Mourad
What’s it about? When his former colleague and brother of the woman he once loved is admitted to the psychiatric hospital where he works, Dr Yehia must determine whether his new patient was aware of his crime when he committed it or not – while confronting his own past at the same time.

Did you know? The book was shortlisted for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction in 2014, and part two of the movie became the highest-grossing Egyptian film in history. Prominent actor Karim Abdel Aziz played the lead, alongside co-stars Nelly Karim, Khaled El Sawy and Hind Sabri.

Writer: Jamal Naji
What’s it about? How does the retelling of one story differ between multiple characters, all of whom have a hidden side? Exploring the consequences of individual actions in terms of spiritual, social and political ramifications, this novel is an examination of human weakness that asks one pertinent question of its readers – how many wolves are there?

Did you know? The book was shortlisted for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction in 2010 and was made into a TV series in 2019 starring Salloum Haddad and Abed Fahed.

Writer: Saud Alsanousi
What’s it about? A half–Kuwaiti, half–Filipino teen (his name is Issa in Kuwait, and Jose in the Philippines) finds himself lost in determining his true identity. The Bamboo Stalk brings powerful and emotive topics around societal issues in Kuwait, such as migrant labour and identity, to the fore.

Did you know? The book won the International Prize for Arabic Fiction in 2013 and it was considered one of the best novels of 2012. The TV series adaptation starred Kuwaiti actors Souad Abdullah and Shujoun Al-Hajri, along with South Korean artist Wonho Chung, who was born in Saudi Arabia and grew up in Amman.

Writer: Mohamed Sadeq
What’s it about? Hepta means number seven in Latin, and the novel revolves around seven stages of love told through the stories of different couples. It’s an interesting concept that rewards readers with a relatable view of relationships and the all-consuming emotions that come with them.

Did you know? The novel became one of the most popular books of 2014 and this led to the movie adaptation, which was directed by Hadi Al-Bagouri and starred Majid Al-Kadwani, Amr Youssef and Yasmine Rais.

Storytel - Audiobooks Library

Audio Books & Story Teller

View