Rick Jebb's memoir is a spellbinding narrative that will keep readers turning the pages, a brilliantly rendered portrait of the author's teenage travel and coming-of-age adventure. The eldest of four children, Jebb's first sense of loss was when his parents ended their six-year marriage. His mother moved with the children to Hinsdale, Illinois. Young Jebb struggled in school and was challenged in many other ways, but John, his step-father, became a role model for him, providing the moral support he needed. John suddenly died at the age of 38, leaving Jebb shaken to the roots. He sets out to find meaning, traveling from Colorado to Mexico —he hitchhiked, drove, and flew. Follow him in this personal odyssey as he seeks to connect with nature, exploring the importance of friendship and family, while struggling with his own personal demons.

The human emotion, the ache, and the quest for meaningful connections permeate Rick Jebb's memoir and they are captured in dazzling prose and enticing descriptions. The author writes compelling historical and cultural elements into the story, offering a finely drawn description of the Aztecs and weaving beautiful threads of relationships within his team and family. This memoir is filled with adventure and reads so beautifully as a coming-of-age narrative of a young man who has suffered loss and has had to deal with addiction. The central theme in the book is the quest for self-identity and the author succeeds in showing readers the place of adventure in self-discovery. The lively storytelling, the evocative writing, and the vivid imagery are some of the elements that make this memoir a distinguishable narrative for lovers of good writing. This gripping tale does not just pinpoint the dramatic moments in the author's life but shows readers how adventure and new encounters can shape us and reveal who we are meant to be. Poignancy and whip-smart analysis augment the beauty of Mexican Sunset: The Vision Quest of a Modern Day Explorer by Rick Jebb.