My Search for Jazzbo Jones

Summary

Written as a tribute to the unusual, older student he befriended in college, this “real-life memoir adventure” retraces the author’s life as he searches for clues about the horrific crash that blinded his friend many years before they met. 

The story weaves keen observation, nostalgia, and humor in its portrayal of Jim Beeson, a colorfully complex character from small-town Kansas who overcame adversity and loss to become an outspoken advocate for the blind in Houston. Even though Beeson and Hirsh differed in age, background, and education, Beeson’s outgoing personality and unlikely mentorship had a lifelong positive impact beyond simply teaching the author about mechanics when they overhauled a 1954 Ford. 

Touching on issues of blindness and resilience in the face of tragedy, My Search for Jazzbo Jones includes vivid recollections of personal history and the JFK assassination, civil rights, the Vietnam draft, and even an encounter with Cuba’s Che Guevara. After more than a decade of online detective work, Hirsh ultimately delivers far more raw facts than he ever expected about that fiery wreck on a Wichita racetrack.