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Francesco is a man on a mission. Born in Italy, he experiences pure happiness as a child. Everything changes, though, with the birth of his brother. Francesco immediately feels his pampered existence slipping away. Hypersensitivity and excessive thinking replace his innocence. As an adult, his new mental state causes him to diagnose himself as depressed. He wanders through life changing vocations, religions, psychiatric methods of treatment, countries, and relationships, looking for one change to give him the spirit and outlook on life he had as a child. It takes the death of his father and his own near-death experience to get him to accept what others have been telling him all along.
Quest for Yesterday stays true to the definition of the mythological quest. However, Francesco faces an even more tremendous challenge along the way than fighting your average ogre or dragon. He must overcome himself. The story's magic arrives in the portrayal of a common man, who strives to find what every self-help book promises and what everyone wants: fulfillment and happiness. Francesco's uncertain journey captures readers, promising the hope that Francesco's life will improve, yet resonating with disappointment when it does not. Mignano breathes life into the characters by revealing their inner lives, as well as vivid settings that enliven the scenes. This is a story that will enrich the lives of all of its readers.