A skillful writer and critic, she has delved deep into reading books of various kinds since childhood, and her reading hobby stayed with her until she began translating what she read, and revealing it critically, providing a reading and critical vision of creative work. She published many critical writings about Saudi, Arab and international novels.

Here, the writer Ebtisam Al-Muqrin speaks about her experience with reading, identifying its most important features, and how reading becomes effective in identifying and selecting information, while stating the positive effects of reading.

In the beginning, Ebtisam Al-Muqrin talks about the beginning of her reading hobby, saying:

My hobby of reading started early at a young age, as my father was an avid reader, and I used to read everything that fell into my hands from the beginnings of my primary school enrollment. Since my father's books and library were precious to him, he did not allow children's hands to reach them, so I used to read stories and chants in school books and everything written in newspapers, whether I understood it or not. This was a motive for my family to bring me books suitable for my age, and my small library began to grow, decorated with stories from the Green Library, the weekly Majid magazine every Wednesday, and a series for children about the stories of the ten promised paradise, and I used to browse reading books for adults, especially the book "Images from the Life of the Companions" which was distributed in boys' schools only at that time.

And about the extent to which the field of education or specialization determines the quality of reading? Scientific, literary, cultural, artistic?

Ebtisam Al-Muqrin clarifies: For me, I find the opposite. My field of study was scientific, and I tended to read in cultural and literary fields in all their forms, the story, the novel, poetry, thoughts, and articles as well. I would finish my university lectures then spend the rest of my time in the university library, and through it I became acquainted with biographies of great writers and read eternal and great novels, and I started by reading the Story of Civilization by Will and Ariel Durant, who transported me to another world during its reading.

And about the question: Has reading influenced your reception of the educational curricula you studied in a simplified way?

Ebtisam Al-Muqrin indicated that the effect of reading on study in general makes you more informed and more cultured, and the way you interact with information and organize it in your mind is affected by reading.

Al-Muqrin explained that she reads both Arabic and translated works.

She adds: I do not think it is possible to dispense with one field for the other. Reading foreign books often adds more and more accurate information to you, because their production is much more than the production of Arabic books, and the subjects addressed are more and often modern and up-to-date. On the other hand, I love to read Arabic books to understand the events around me through the vision of other writers, whether they are local books or Arabic ones from neighboring countries.

And about the question of what advice she can offer to new readers? And what are the most prominent foundational books that she recommends reading?

Ebtisam Al-Muqrin said: Reading, like any hobby like drawing, design and others, needs a little patience. Start with it and give it some of your time, and you will be surprised what reading will give you later. Try to dedicate a fixed time for reading and start by reading a few pages and gradually increase, as strong and hurried beginnings may make you tired and bored faster.

Al-Muqrin added: The books I started with and suited me at that young age thirsty for reading and books, were by Mustafa Lutfi al-Manfaluti. His books are characterized by depth of expression and the beauty of sweet language, and the stories are smooth and expressive and stay in your heart and you are affected by them, and they draw you in until you finish reading, so you feel the pleasure of achievement, fun and benefit together. Among the important books close to the heart are the books of Ali al-Tantawi, as well as the books of Mustafa Sadiq al-Rafi'i who says: "Let your purpose in reading be to acquire an independent talent, a broad thought, and a faculty capable of innovation, for every book that aims at one of these three, read it".. and this is exactly what applies to al-Rafi'i's books. Also, reading biographies and classic novels is of great importance at the beginning of reading.

I also believe that reading books that talk about reading is important and useful, including Alberto Manguel's books about reading, so that it makes you attached to books and reading, and gives you glimpses about some books and the way they are read, as well as the important book by Abdul Karim Bakkar "Fruitful Reading" and many others.

Ebtisam Al-Muqrin concluded by saying: The most important advice is not to neglect writing while reading. Write down your ideas and questions, what you agree or disagree with the writer directly while reading, do not let reading be only before sleep, dedicate a time for it while you are present-minded and holding a pen. If you finish reading, record your immediate feeling, whether this book made you happy or sad or otherwise. Finally, try to summarize the most important ideas of the book as if you are going to tell someone about it, so that it remains in your mind as long as possible.