Manuel and Me by Spyridon Andrews

What if the soul of America isn't gone—just quietly waiting in the streets of Lucca? In this part-travel memoir, part-philosophical detective story, Spyridon—a Greek-American writer, jazz musician, and recovering lawyer—wanders through Florence and Lucca in search of something rare: a civilization that still believes in beauty, family, and truth. With two fluffy Pomeranians in tow and the ghost of Manuel Chrysoloras—a forgotten Greek scholar who helped ignite the Renaissance—as his guide, he finds traces of the sacred in the ruins of the West. Along the way, Spyridon navigates the Dante-like hell of Italian bureaucracy—but even in the madness, he finds meaning. Manuel and Me blends humor, history, and human warmth in a soulful quest for memory, mystery, and sanity—set against the crumbling glamour of Italy and the deeper collapse of modern America. Through churches, street corners, and the quiet rituals of tradition, Spyridon uncovers the wisdom we didn't know we were missing. A book for anyone who suspects the modern world is losing its way—and wants to chart a different course.