KARO Cinematic ART one Demo10 Synthestra 1 (Program 033)

An enlarged edition of Thomas Sowell’s brilliant examination of the origins of economic disparities

Economic and other outcomes differ vastly among individuals, groups, and nations. Many explanations have been offered for the differences. Some believe that those with less fortunate outcomes are victims of genetics. Others believe that those who are less fortunate are victims of the more fortunate.

Discrimination and Disparities gathers a wide array of empirical evidence to challenge the idea that different economic outcomes can be explained by any one factor, be it discrimination, exploitation, or genetics. This revised and enlarged edition also analyzes the human consequences of the prevailing social vision of these disparities and the policies based on that vision–from educational disasters to widespread crime and violence.

Discrimination and Disparities by Thomas Sowell read by Hassiem Muhammad

Middle School meets Percy Jackson in this exciting adventure from #1 New York Times bestselling author James Patterson, where Greek gods task an ordinary twelve-year-old with a big mission. 

Nick Andino isn’t exactly “hero” material. He’s perfectly happy working at his family’s Greek diner, pining over his crush, and avoiding his bully. His life isn’t very exciting…until destiny comes calling.

Dr. Zeus, the over-the-top king of the gods, zooms into town with a quest that Nick must complete to save Andinos past and present from being erased from history. Accompanied by a fast-talking Hermes, Nick journeys back to ancient Greece, where his ancestors await—along with new friends and a whole host of Greek gods and monsters. Can Nick be the hero the Andinos need, or will his story be another Greek tragedy?

This fast-paced, feel-good adventure from the world’s favorite storyteller has black-and-white illustrations throughout, and amphitheaters full of humor and heart. 

Dr. Zeus by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts read by Mark Sanderlin

 A sweeping global history of Islam, tracing the 1,400-year evolution of a diverse community of faith and its place in the modern world

“Anyone who wants to understand not just the past of Islam but its present and future should read Worlds of Islam.”—Reza Aslan, author of No god but God

From its birth in seventh-century Arabia, Islam has been a faith on the move. Over the span of a thousand years, armies, missionaries, and merchants carried it to the edges of Europe, the coasts of Southeast Asia, and the remote interior of China. By the nineteenth century, Islam encompassed a world of great diversity, from Muslim-ruled empires to new nations where Muslims lived out their faith among many others. As empires fell and new superpowers rose, Muslims proved to be as adaptable and dynamic as modernity itself.

In Worlds of Islam, historian James McDougall explores Islam’s origins and transformations as Muslims adapted to changing times and conditions, from Late Antiquity to the digital age. In the twentieth century, while monarchs in the Gulf asserted dynastic privilege and fundamentalists in Egypt and Pakistan preached social morality, revolutionaries from Algeria to Indonesia fought for national self-determination, and activists in North America and Europe campaigned for civil liberties and social justice.

Sweeping and authoritative, Worlds of Islam narrates the epic story of how Muslims emerged as a community, built empires, traversed the globe, came to number in the billions, and became modern.

Worlds of Islam by James McDougall read by James McDougall

What were our favourite books of the year and what are we most excited to read in 2026? Join the team behind the Ask Penguin podcast to look back at standout titles, memorable podcast moments, and the reading intentions we’re taking into the New Year.



What were the best books of 2025?

Carlotta Walls LaNier, the youngest of the Little Rock Nine, shares the true story about a girl, a dress, and the historic fight to attend an all-white school in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Carlotta can’t wait to wear her new dress on her first day of school. But when the moment finally arrives, she isn’t allowed to go. The year is 1957, and the people of Little Rock, Arkansas, don’t want Black students attending an all-white school and will do whatever it takes to keep them out.  As hate and danger escalate, will Carlotta and her Black classmates, known as the Little Rock Nine, have the strength and perseverance to keep dreaming of a better world? 

This moving picture book autobiography from a Civil Rights pioneer—with extensive back matter including an author’s note, comprehensive timeline, and historical photos—introduces a landmark event in the fight for desegregation and demonstrates the world-changing power children have to enact change through bravery and faith. 

Carlotta's Special Dress by Carlotta Walls LaNier with Lisa Frazier Page read by Deanna Anthony

The classic guide to sex for seniors, offering real-life stories alongside expert advice “without apology, without shame and with accommodation, levity, humor and joy” (The New York Times)—now updated with a new foreword from the author and new expert tips

Joan Price is talking out loud about a subject that is often ignored or ridiculed in our society: later-life sex.  

In Naked at Our Age, she offers a candid, straight-talking exploration of senior sex in all its colors—the challenges, the disappointments, and the surprises, as well as the delights of love and passion. In this book, real people over fifty—women and men, coupled and single, straight and gay—talk candidly about how their sex lives and relationships have changed with age. No topic related to older sexuality is off-limits. Some are having unsatisfying sex, or no sex at all, and are looking for answers. Price presents their compelling personal stories, followed by wise advice from sex therapists, health professionals, counselors, and sex educators.  
   
Naked at Our Age is an entertaining and indispensable guide to the issues of senior sex and relationships. This new edition of the classic, award-winning book includes a new foreword from the author and new tips from experts.



Naked at Our Age by Joan Price read by Suzanne Toren

Practice a new framework for dismantling racial bias in our society, our workplaces, and ourselves: by learning to detect it as well as people of color do.

How do we combat racism in a world determined to tell us it doesn’t exist?
 
To hold the line against racism, we need to know it when we see it. And as the dominant racial group in our society, White people must take up the charge. The problem, says researcher, DEI leader, and organizational consultant Dr. Evelyn Carter, is that White people haven’t been socialized to detect racial bias in the way people of color do. Racism is more than using racial slurs or overt, hateful speech, and it’s more than unintentional slights; it’s about an entire system that upholds Whiteness as the preferred standard. 
 
Fortunately, detecting it is a skill that can be learned.

Was That Racist? is a re-education, call to action, and practical guide, full of research-backed strategies including how to: cultivate a growth mindset about bias, unlearn colorblindness and practice color consciousness, talk to kids about race and racism – and bring others along for the journey.

At a time when DEI is under coordinated attack, Was That Racist? is the essential toolkit for anyone who believes we all have a role to play in creating a more equitable world.

Was That Racist? by Evelyn R. Carter, PhD read by Evelyn R. Carter, PhD

Leveling up has truly changed Yuuya’s life. In the real world, things have done a complete 180. He’s getting used to his new school and making fast friends—which includes a fluffy companion in the other world. Meanwhile, thanks to his physical prowess and good looks, his popularity is through the roof (though he’s oblivious to this). He’s also finally learned how to use magic! Will it be enough to help him survive fires, assassins, and trials in the wilderness?!

I Got a Cheat Skill in Another World and Became Unrivaled in the Real World, Too, Vol. 2 by Miku read by Curtis Michael Holland

Some secrets should stay behind closed doors…
 
Gemma’s got it all figured out: she has her amazing best friends April and Anna, a high-flying job, and a dating life that’s strictly no-strings-attached. Men fall at her feet – and she walks away from them without a backwards glance.

Max is a jet-setter with zero interest in settling down. Between London and New York City, he’s in a position of power, working at a luxury hotelier. But when he meets Gemma in a high-stakes hotel pitch, their chemistry is instant, electric…and completely off limits. Why? Because Max is Anna’s brother. And Anna has just one rule: don’t even think about her brother.

But the danger zone is Gemma’s favorite place to be. And some things are worth bending the rules for…

The Suite Secret by Tierney Page read by Will H. Watt and Evelyn Rose

From the international bestselling author of The Drowning Woman, a psychological thriller about a couple rocked by infidelity who moves to a villa in Spain’s Costa Brava to rebuild their relationship, only to welcome a pair of visitors who have no intention of leaving.  

Sydney Lowe’s life in New York is shattered when her husband, Curtis, admits to a meaningless affair with a client. Begging for forgiveness and vowing to prove his devotion, Curtis suggests the couple retreat to a remote hilltop house in Spain to repair their marriage.  

High above the Mediterranean, Sydney and Curtis are working on the isolated property and their relationship when a pair of Australian travelers turns up at their door in dire need of help. Lonely for companionship and desperate for free labor, Sydney and Curtis invite the attractive young couple to stay. But as the days pass, dark secrets come to light, the Lowes’ bond is tested, and not everyone will leave the villa alive.

“Robyn Harding is probably among the writers I most recommend, and once again she has excelled herself with damaged and damaging characters wreaking havoc on each other. I loved every page! When can I read the next one?” ―Liz Nugent, internationally bestselling author of Strange Sally Diamond

KARO Cinematic ART one Demo10 Synthestra 1 (Program 033)

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