Notes from a Wayward Son: A Memoir

In his first memory of his father, Adrian De Leon is four years old. Sitting in front of his family home high above the street in Manila, Philippines, he sees Tatay, a stern man, ascend the stairs before him. Despite Tatay's pedigree as a college-educated military officer, the best place of employment for a Filipino man trying to support his family is abroad.

A year later, Tatay uproots his family to Canada, where they start a new life in Toronto's eastern district of Scarborough. While Tata...