Finding Mary Smith
A Memoir of Family Secrets, Gray Market Adoption,
and the Miracle Reunion with My Mom
WHAT IF EVERYTHING YOU KNEW ABOUT YOURSELF WAS WRONG?
Winner of the 2026 Global Book Awards GOLD Medal for Biographical / Memoir, Finding Mary Smith is the extraordinary true story of one man's discovery at age 52 that he had been adopted—and the search that changed everything.
Finding Mary Smith is a memoir about adoption, DNA discoveries, genetic genealogy, family secrets, identity and reunion. After learning at age 52 that he had been adopted through a gray-market adoption, Al Isaacs used DNA testing, family research and genetic genealogy to uncover the truth about his biological family and ultimately reunite with his birth mother.
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING
★★★★★
“Finding Mary Smith is a beautifully written, deeply moving memoir about identity, family, and the unexpected truths that can reshape everything we thought we knew about ourselves. Al Isaacs tells his remarkable story with honesty, vulnerability, and humor, taking the reader along on an emotional journey filled with surprising twists and heartfelt discoveries.
This is more than an adoption story—it’s a powerful reminder that it’s never too late to discover where you came from, and that sometimes the truth can lead you somewhere you never expected to go.”
- Alesia Weiss, Founder- NPEN & Creator of This NPE Life on FB
“Finding Mary Smith is a beautifully written, heartfelt journey about identity, loss, and the courage it takes to search for the truth. The story unfolds gently but powerfully, drawing you in through authentic emotion rather than shock value. What made it especially meaningful for me is that I found a cousin I never knew I had before reading the book, which gave every page a deeper, more personal connection. A touching reminder that sometimes books don’t just tell stories, they resonate with our own.”
- Marc Mero, WWE/WCW Champion, Founder and CEO of Champion of Choices
★★★★★
“A first-person thriller...with all the ups and downs of a classic Hollywood story.”
— Robin Steele, Writer/Director
WATCH A READER’S REVIEW
“Raw, emotional, funny, and honestly impossible to stop reading.”
— Vaishnavi Venkatesh, @vvaishnavi04
Watch her review of Finding Mary Smith
What Amazon Readers Are Saying:
More than 90 Amazon reviews — readers consistently describe Finding Mary Smith as funny, heartfelt, conversational, and hard to put down.
“I could not put it down. Truly riveting.”
— Amazon reviewer“It feels like you are at a table having coffee with Al and he is telling you his story.”
— Amazon reviewer“The search for Mary Smith feels like a real-life mystery, except the stakes are human lives and identity.”
— Amazon reviewer“It feels like the kind of story that’s just waiting to be turned into a film.”
— Amazon reviewer
Reading Finding Mary Smith with your book club?
Make the conversation easier to host with this free book club kit. Inside you’ll find a personal note from Al, 12 discussion questions, a host’s guide, music selections—including Mary’s recordings—and refreshments inspired by New York and England. Yes, there’s a Brooklyn chocolate egg cream recipe.
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READY TO FIND MARY?
Paperback · eBook · Audiobook
HEAR THE STORY FROM THE MAN WHO LIVED IT
The audiobook of Finding Mary Smith is narrated by Al Isaacs.
Book Details
Title: Finding Mary Smith
Subtitle: A Memoir of Family Secrets, Gray Market Adoption, and the Miracle Reunion with My Mom
Author: Al Isaacs
Author ISNI: 0000 0005 3171 8776
Publisher: Wordwooze Publishing
Publication Date: March 10, 2026
Language: English
Paperback ISBN: 979-8249439125
Audiobook ASIN: B0H5G1ST54
Available Formats: Paperback · eBook · Audiobook
Genre: Memoir / Biography
Subjects: Adoption · Family Secrets · DNA & Genealogy · Identity · Reunion
Award: 2026 Global Book Awards — Gold, Biographical/Memoir
Finding Mary Smith is the true story of Al Isaacs’s discovery at age 52 that he had been adopted, the search for his biological family, and the extraordinary reunion with his birth mother more than five decades after they were separated.
Official Author Website: alisaacs.com