"I read in an attempt to slow down the world around me"

Yara looks at life as a long journey that she makes more tolerable by reading, as it is a great companion, a dear friend, and an immense help during life’s ups and downs; as well as being the magical tool that enables her to slow down time, even a little. If she does not like the view outside, all she needs to do is peek into her current read for a change of scenery, where each book offers a multitude of options that are bound by nothing other than the limitless human imagination. Because her journey through life is sometimes incomprehensible, she can do little else but read to hold on to her wits, maintain her sense of wonder, and escape the abominable state of being distracted. Yara is duly aware of the light that reading emanates for her, so that she can see her next step, and with a leap of faith she can know the other with greater empathy.Borrowing a literary metaphor from the Egyptian visionary Tawfiq al-Hakim, Yara moves intellectually with reading, and loves searching in all the valleys of the mind until the last instance in which she finally stills the overwhelming torrent of curiosity.

"I read to examine my life"

Zain likens the book to a fence that surrounds a person, shading him and protecting him from dust and detritus. Going back to his early childhood, he recalls his love for building things and then often breaking them down. This act is echoed still in his character: He sees this when a reader breaks up the organization of his shelves by pulling out books to read. Despite breaking down his own organizational structure to get the books, Zain finds he builds up himself a little more when he reads. His relationship with books and libraries is one of passion and rebellion, as he deliberately overlooks his textbooks to read outside of the curriculum, taking reading freely as an intermission when he can turn his face away from the world, even a little, to rid himself of the monotony of work, and give himself a break that will motivate him to finish the original assignment.

"I read to get rid of inertia, to live more lives than one"

Sukina plays with words saying that reading is what she likes, what likes her, and what pulls her down to sift through the catacombs of the past and the lush beauty of the present. She never speaks of reading as a hobby that she discovered but as a mindful being that discovered her – never to be separated, as though they were twins. She describes the act of reading as generous and seeks to be worthy of and loyal to this generosity. Reading provides her with intellect and awareness and she is ever thankful for its gifts; and she hopes this generosity is reflected in in her own literary prose. Sukina also believes that reading liberates us from frozen seas, and that it is the burning light that brings warmth in the bleak and lonely nights of winter.

"I read to reach a level where I can understand myself"

Zainab’s path was defined by stepping into the huge library of her grandfather, as she feels deeply indebted to reading for everything she has, from capturing her feelings, to molding and growing her vocabulary which helps her translate her ideas cogently, both in moments when life smiles at her or when it seems to turn its face away. She has long since searched for herself away from books, but instead of finding a bridge, Zainab could only feel estrangement tugging at her heart and an impending sense of longing. Mindful that only reading can bring her closer to her ultimate goal and guide her to understanding herself a little better. To accomplish such a goal, she believes, would be to achieve the greatest victory in her long journey with herself, paper pages, and the many meanings they contain.

"I read to reach a level where I can understand myself"

Zainab’s path was defined by stepping into the huge library of her grandfather, as she feels deeply indebted to reading for everything she has, from capturing her feelings, to molding and growing her vocabulary which helps her translate her ideas cogently, both in moments when life smiles at her or when it seems to turn its face away. She has long since searched for herself away from books, but instead of finding a bridge, Zainab could only feel estrangement tugging at her heart and an impending sense of longing. Mindful that only reading can bring her closer to her ultimate goal and guide her to understanding herself a little better. To accomplish such a goal, she believes, would be to achieve the greatest victory in her long journey with herself, paper pages, and the many meanings they contain.

"I read because I fear days that are not shaded by books"

Dua’a wonders what days hold for her away from reading, wary that she will have no choice but to face the wretched noise and the acceleration of time in the future. She is a daughter of this fast-growing era after all, who was forced to hold her breath and watch her days pass her by, until one day she learned to run without touching the ground – just like the protagonists do in her books! Reading gave her the chance to live a little slower, and to draw images with the utmost care and detail so that the image becomes clear to her, and ideas are presented at her pace, allowing them to sink in with nuance as opposed to swallowing them whole all at once. Just like a heavenly gift, reading is always at her side, giving her company and the chance to envision beauty so she can almost touch it. Dua’a is completely obsessed with her love for reading and everything that relates to it such as bookshelves and literary characters, hoping against hope that her days shall always remain under the sweet shade of books.

"I read because I am no good at anything else"

Sufyan describes reading as his savior from the clutches of sadness and melancholy, as he could not have escaped from his depression without its help. For him, reading is a magical ointment that, once rubbed on thoughts inflicted with sadness and anxiety, melts them into calmness and serenity. Reading introduced him to the subtle pleasures of life and kindled an ever radiant and burning joy inside of him, urging him to introduce himself as a young man who is “only good for reading.” Sufyan believes that reading is his only capital, which never dwindles or decreases in value, no matter how difficult the circumstances may get or how unpredictable his days may turn out to be. For him, it is through reading that we are liberated, our shackles broken, and our mind is given the boost it needs to embrace human progress.

"I read to be conscientious, to understand myself and the world a little better"

We may gain love in time or be born with it. This is what Rama shares with us as she describes her relationship with reading. She was always attracted to it, always in love with it, and always gripped by stories and meaning since the early days of her childhood. At a time when toys and games were the favorite companions of her peers, Rama was more than content with the company of books and reading, which touched her soul. She took refuge in the paper pages of books to ease the burdens of differences and her never-ending questions. Reading provides her with the serenity and reassurance that help her move steadfastly along through the bustling corridors of her mind which is always brimming with questions. Reading has provided her the seeking eyes both to watch her step and to pick up the many answers she finds along the way.

"I read to be myself"

The journey may begin without our even realizing it, with no clear signs of a starting point. This is how it was with Rym. She describes herself as the person who is always searching for themselves, in passing conversations, stories, books and everything around her. Reading is her refuge, regardless of the gap between it and her academic focus, as she can always rely on it to save the day, no matter how dark and hopeless things may seem at first glance.

"I read pulling out books and myself with them"

Every time Balqees stands before a library with its piles of books and rows of publications, she extends her hand at arm’s length to pick one of them, pulling out not mere volumes but herself as well. Sitting to read, she is with her preferred crowd – literary giants, authors and favorite fictional characters. Penetrating through the silence of loneliness, rising from the dark pit of ignorance to the luminating crystals of knowledge, and passing through worlds that may be verdantly lush or black as the dead of night, what she finds is always worthy of the journey.