I just deleted a lot of writing. Here's is the most delicate way I can review this series/program.

This program is an example of why grant funding for programming is dangerous to our system. A lot of folks think that corporate underwriters can easily influence the nature and perspective of our programming. "Tell the story or we pull our money" is the conventional thinking. Frankly, grants are worse. You know you're going into it strings attached.

I knew listening to this piece that something just didn't seem "right." The segment on the 10 most harmful books of the last couple hundred years time perked my ear. The list originated with a "conservative economic" publication. So you get a lot of communist stuff and Mien Kemp etc...but then you get the KINSEY REPORT and THE FEMINE MYSTIC. There needs a bit explanation on how these books that have more to do with sex and sexual identity ended up on a list with Adolph Hitler and the Communist Manifesto. I just couldn't listen to the rest of the show with some sneaking suspicions. When was any book "harmful"? The code words abound like that through out this program.

A couple of clicks on the producers web site and, for those who need it-like me, a Google search or two and you'll see that this program is set up to tell stories in support the grant makers perspective. The program and the grant maker just seem to tightly woven together. To be sure, some notable public broadcasting legends are associated with this program, but you be the judge.