ANATOMY OF EUROPE

The author's research for Anatomy of Britain (1962) impelled him to further investigate Europe. Here he suggests that understanding Europe requires understanding America. Preeminently concerned with economics, he offers a sprightly but shallow survey of issues, institutions and trends revolving around the Servan-Schreiber themes of European unity and American power. Sampson, however, finds poor prospects for multinational corporations excluding U.S. influence. He points to the ""Eurocrats"" declining morale, the nationalism of key industries, and the continuing centrifugal force of American investment. The profiles of Monnet, De Gaulle, Agnelli of Fiat, et al., are short and catchy; the emphasis on bankers' power is sound. But his inattention to monetary problems and the late '50's recession's effects is compounded by his flimsy remarks on the position of workers. Hence he fails to explain Italian discontent or the French upheaval (discussed merely from a political point of view). There is a series of tidbits on tourism, technology, films and students. It's slick, topical reading of less consequence than particular and likely popular interest.