On the 11th anniversary of the death of Egyptian actor Nour El Sherif, his passion for reading remains one of the most revealing aspects of his artistic and intellectual personality.

Reading was not simply a hobby for him. It was an essential part of his development as an actor and intellectual.

His personal library, which was donated to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina after his death, contains hundreds of books covering literature, art, philosophy and politics, alongside evidence of his meticulous reading habits.

Nour El Sherif’s Library Reveals His Unique Relationship With Books

Nour El Sherif approached reading in a highly personal way. He often recorded the date he began and finished a book and sometimes noted where he had read it.

He also underlined passages that caught his attention and wrote his comments and impressions in pencil in the margins.

His interviews and conversations revealed the writers and thinkers who influenced his intellectual development, particularly Shakespeare, Dostoevsky and Naguib Mahfouz, as well as the political writings and analyses of Mohamed Heikal.

Shakespeare.. A Lifelong Influence on Nour El Sherif

William Shakespeare was far more than a famous playwright to Nour El Sherif. He regarded Shakespeare as a complete school for understanding human nature.

His connection with Shakespeare began during his studies at the Institute of Dramatic Arts, where he played Hamlet in his graduation project and also participated in Romeo and Juliet.

He also previously played Horatio in Hamlet with the Military Theatre.

Nour El Sherif viewed Shakespeare’s works as a rich space for exploring human conflicts, ambitions, fears, love and revenge—emotions that an actor needs to understand before building a character.

Crime and Punishment.. Dostoevsky as a Film Project

Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky was another major influence on Nour El Sherif’s artistic development.

His relationship with Crime and Punishment went beyond reading the novel. During his studies, he became deeply fascinated by it and decided that he wanted to adapt it specifically for actor Ahmed Zaki.

The project remained an important idea for him before the novel eventually became associated with the film “Sonia and the Madman,” which starred Nour El Sherif alongside Mahmoud Yassin.

The Harafish.. Naguib Mahfouz Through Nour El Sherif’s Eyes

Naguib Mahfouz was among the writers who had the greatest influence on Nour El Sherif.

Through Mahfouz’s literary world, the actor found a broad reflection of Egyptian society, its characters and its contradictions.

Throughout his career, Nour El Sherif portrayed several characters inspired by Mahfouz’s works, beginning with Kamal Abdel Gawad in “Palace Walk,” followed by roles connected to works such as “The Karnak,” “Heart of the Night” and “The Summit,” as well as the world of “The Harafish.”

His relationship with Mahfouz therefore extended beyond literary admiration and directly influenced his artistic choices.

The Ice.. A Book Nour El Sherif Read and Criticized

The novel “The Ice” by Sonallah Ibrahim reveals another side of Nour El Sherif as a reader with a strong critical voice.

According to writer Tarek El Taher’s book “Treasures of Secrets,” Nour El Sherif read the novel in a single day in Alexandria, recording when he started and finished it.

He then wrote his evaluation on the inside page of the book, giving it a highly critical assessment and considering it among Sonallah Ibrahim’s weaker works.

The episode demonstrates that Nour El Sherif did not treat books as untouchable texts. He read, analyzed, debated and recorded his own opinions, reflecting his approach to critical reading.

Mohamed Heikal’s Books.. Political Culture Beyond Acting

Nour El Sherif’s interests extended beyond literature and theatre to politics and intellectual analysis.

Journalist and thinker Mohamed Heikal was among the figures whose writings influenced his intellectual development.

Nour El Sherif mentioned Heikal alongside Shakespeare, Dostoevsky and Naguib Mahfouz when discussing the people who had influenced him, particularly highlighting Heikal’s political writings and analyses.

This aspect of his reading reveals the breadth of his intellectual interests and his belief that books could provide a deeper understanding of society, politics and human nature.

Reading.. Nour El Sherif’s Key to Understanding Characters

Nour El Sherif’s library and his reading habits reveal a deep connection between literature and acting in his artistic journey.

He did not read simply for knowledge. He searched literature, philosophy, theatre and politics for ideas that could help him understand people and construct the characters he portrayed on screen.

Shakespeare, Dostoevsky, Naguib Mahfouz and Mohamed Heikal therefore became important references in his intellectual and artistic development, while reading remained one of the tools that helped him create complex and memorable performances throughout his career.

Which writers influenced Nour El Sherif the most?

Among the most influential were Shakespeare, Dostoevsky and Naguib Mahfouz, along with the writings of Mohamed Heikal.

What was Nour El Sherif’s connection to Crime and Punishment?

He admired the novel and considered turning it into an artistic project before it later became associated with the film “Sonia and the Madman.”

What did Nour El Sherif read?

His reading covered literature, art, philosophy and politics, including works by major writers and thinkers.

Where is Nour El Sherif’s library?

His personal library was donated to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina after his death.

How did Nour El Sherif read books?

He recorded the dates he started and finished books, underlined important passages and wrote his observations and impressions in the margins.