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A Wealth of Family: An Adopted Son's International Quest for Heritage, Reunion, and Enrichment (Family Success)

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After Thomas Brooks learned that he was adopted at age eleven, he began to wonder who his biological parents were. A Wealth of Family is the story of his search and the history of both his adoptive and biological parents. From inner city Pittsburgh to London to Nairobi, Brooks' physical journey mirrors his emotional journey of going from being an only child to being surrounded by many half-siblings in both Europe and Africa.

Thomas' adoptive mother Joan was a struggling divorcee when he first learned of his adoption. Living on the north side of Pittsburgh, he had always thought he resembled his cousins who were light skinned African Americans. But he discovered that his biological mother was white and his biological father came from Kenya. Suddenly comments made to him by other African Americans about his multiracial appearance began to make sense. In spite of the prejudice and ignorance of many of his classmates (both black and white) in high school, Thomas went on to become the class valedictorian and entered the University of Pittsburgh to study engineering.

But still the need to know where he came from was strong. Finally Thomas contacted the adoption agency and learned that his biological mother Dorothy had left a communication that it was all right for him to contact her if he ever was curious. He eventually met Dorothy, who by then resided in London, England with her children from a previous marriage. Thomas learned more about his father, who had been a Kenyan graduate student whom Dorothy had met as an undergraduate. After a brief affair, she learned she was carrying Thomas. Being unwed and pregnant in the mid-sixties with a biracial child, Dorothy did not have the support of her family. She felt she had no other option than to give Thomas up for adoption. Having grown up in a predominantly African American community, Thomas understood all too well how others' prejudice influenced Dorothy's decision.

This is a moving story that demonstrates how with courage and determination an individual can bring together the separate strands of his heritage and weave them together into a loving whole.-- by Cindy Appel for the FEARLESS REVIEWS

From the first page to the last, I was completely immersed in this riveting book as the author's journey, to find his biological parents, takes him down very diverse paths. I completed the book in one sitting experiencing emotions of sadness, sympathy, and happiness. The complex dynamics of exploring new familial relationships while legitimizing the love of existing ones makes for an intriguing story. I found this book to be inspirational and it has given me hope in my search to find my biological brother who was adopted at birth.

Thomas Brooks found out he was adopted in early adolescence. It wasn't until he was an adult that he decided to find the parents who gave him away. Through diligent research, he finds out that his birth mother was white and his birth father was a black Kenyan foreign student. Dispelling shock, stereotypes, and self-pity, Brooks plunges into his history and eagerly embraces his new, extended family, while never letting go of his loving adoptive family. A Wealth of Family is Brooks' emotional recording of his brave journey in and out of himself from a disadvantaged area of inner-city Pittsburgh across the ocean to Europe and Africa in search of his identity that was given away at birth. In doing so, Brooks adopts a healthy relationship with his three families: his adopted family, his birth mother's family, and his birth father's family. Additionally, with the amalgamation of these cultures participating in his life, Brooks' awareness of race relations and the ignorance of others is heightened and becomes one of the reasons he writes this story. "I wrote this book because I am proud of the heritage of my three diverse families...I have endeavored to provide a perspective on multicultural families and insights on overcoming poverty and racism."

You will truly enjoy this endearing autobiography. It's an earnest account of pain, family history, reconciliation, and finally contentment...because you have to have the courage to find out who you are to be content with who you are.

A Wealth Of Family: An Adopted Son's International Quest For Heritage, Reunion, And Enrichment by Thomas Brooks is the compelling autobiographical account of the life of the author, and his struggle toward a reunion with his biological family. The candid memoir of his painful childhood in the ghettos of inner-city Pittsburgh, A Wealth Of Family tells of Brook's rediscovery of his Lithuanian mother in London, along with British siblings he had not previously been aware of, and an equally remarkable reunion with his father in Nairobi, Kenya, along with his extended family there. A Wealth Of Family is very highly recommended as the inspiring autobiography of one man and his determination to discovery his own biological roots.

An inspirational book that demonstrates the value of the human race eliminating the societal barrier of color.

Thomas Brooks' "A Wealth of Family" is an unbelievably moving account of one young man's quest to find and understand his roots. This book describes a motivational step by step journey of how Thomas Brooks overcame incredible odds to achieve rather ambitious goals. I believe this book will touch all those who read it and in my opinion is a "must read" for young black males in this country whom also face incredible odds, often without a roadmap for success and often without intact "traditional" family structures. This book is a "keepin it real" rendition that talks about failure as well as successes that often arise from those failures. Well done.

Thomas Brooks captures the true essence of ambition, which is depicted in his heart-felt book `A Wealth of Family'. His story takes you on a magnificent journey that pushes all stereotypical boundaries on race, culture and importantly understanding. It transcends ones own heritage and raises the question: nature or nurture? Who would we be if different people raised us; and, would we be less than we are or more? Brooks' search for his roots, which are today deeply embedded through many cultures, is testimony that aspirations far reaching ones own destiny is possible for all...

This is a story of adoption and reunion, illustrating how cross cultural barriers can be overcome with love and support. "A Wealth of Family" details Brooks' journey in locating his birth parents. The story provides insights on overcoming racism and poverty. The author is also writing to encourage the reader to pursue excellence in finding one's own identity.

After Thomas was adopted his adoptive parents separated and were divorced. He was raised by his then single mother, who never remarried. She sacrificed to raise her son in better neighborhoods and better schools. Thomas excelled in athletics and academics. He graduated valedictorian from high school. He was awarded an internship with a national company and several scholarships. He enrolled in and eventually received a BS in engineering from the University of Pittsburgh.

While at the University he continued his academic success and began to enhance his leadership skills, confidence, social, professionalism, and networking, by joining the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.


Once established in his career in Houston, Texas, Thomas began the search for his birth parents. This search took him from London, England to meet his birth mother and her family and to Kenya, Africa to meet his birth father and his extended family.

Inspiring, heartwarming, and uplifting, this is a book that sould be read by adopted children, their parents, and siblings. It should become assigned reading to supplement multicultural ad African/American studies.

At age eleven, Thomas Brooks learned he was adopted and at first it shook his secure world. At age 25, while pursing his MBA, he decided to find his birth parents to complete the circle of his life. In A Wealth of Family, readers are treated to an international travel log and multicultural experience as we travel with Brooks in discovering his true roots.

Although Brooks was acclimated and culturally African American, he always suspected he might be of mixed heritage. When he received a document from the adoption agency, he was surprised to find that his mother was of Lithuanian Jewish background and his father was from Kenya. His parents had a brief affair while his mother was an undergraduate and his father was a graduate student at Penn State. After assuring his beloved adopted mother, Joan, that, no one would usurp her place in his life, he began to earnestly search for his birth parents.

Brooks grew up in a large extended family in the Pittsburg, Pennsylvania area surrounded by his mother's large family, the Lowrys. His parents divorced when he was four and he had little contact with his father. Brooks spent most of his growing years struggling with poverty because his mother was unable to work to support them. After a series of moves, they settled in Brighton, a white working/middle class suburb of Pittsburgh. After a rough start, Brooks began to excel in school, making excellent grades and was active in sports. He found himself fighting racism and stereotypes at time but preserved and was valedictorian of his high school class and going on to the University of Pittsburgh. Again, he applied himself to his studies and became immersed in a full college experience to include joining the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, a Greek Black organization and other clubs. He pursued engineering and then an MBA at the University of Maryland.

Because his birth mother, Dorothy, left contact information in his file at the adoption agency, he was able to quickly establish contact with her. Dorothy, who was living in England, flew to Houston, where Brooks was then working. They established a rapport and thereafter, Brooks flew to England and met his sister and three brothers. He was received with open arms and they slowly built a relationship, along with his grandmother, Maryan, Dorothy's mother, who was living in Pittsburgh. Dorothy wanted to meet Joan, but he realized it was a delicate situation and it would need more time for the two women, his birth mother and his adoptive mother to meet.

Brooks then took the steps to make contact with his father, Mboga Mageka Omwenga, which was much more difficult. In 1995, he and Dorothy made the trek to Kenya to make his paternal connection. First, they went on a safari to take in the beautiful country and then went on to Nairobi. All he had was a name and the fact that his father was of the Kisii tribe, according to a Kenyan friend in Houston. After a series of word-of-mouth connections, placing an announcement in the newspaper, and a few hits and misses, Brooks connected with his father's daughter, Margaret. She explained the father was out of the area but the two of them became acquainted. Brooks went back to Houston but thereafter started corresponding with his father. He went back to Kenya several months later finally met his father and was warmly received by the entire village and all his relatives, including his 100 year-old grandmother. He slowly established a relationship with his Kenyan family overcoming a few cultural challenges and miscommunications.

After his mother, Joan met Dorothy, the families seemed to blend and accept each other. Brooks came to love and appreciate having three families who all loved and supported him. His world travels served to broaden his understanding of different cultures and heightened his appreciation of his multiracial heritage. While he considers himself African American, he calls himself a world citizen. He learned to value the traits both his birth mother and father passed on to him, such as their intellectual ability.

Part memoir, part family history and genealogy, Brooks has written a memorable account of how race, culture, and family intersect while also recounting his own life lessons. He is a successful businessman living in Atlanta with his wife and family, mentoring inner-city youth and active in several social and civic organizations. There are many stories about bi-racial children but Brooks' story was unique in that it spanned three continents and melded three families to include a wealth of love, forgiveness and acceptance. This book is recommended for those interested in the topics of multiculturalism and adoptees seeking their roots.

Reviewed by Dera R. Williams
APOOO BookClub

I thought this book was inspiring, especially for those seeking their roots. I felt as though I knew the author personally by the end of the story as I went along for the journey with him. It is a must read!