Parallels: Life & Memory of Melanie Fearl

Parallels (평행 / pyeong•haeng) is a book based on an interview I conducted with US Postal Office worker Melanie Fearl.

The title of the book refers to her life in Korea (left panels) parallel to the US (right panels). The book goes through major stages of Melanie’s starting from her immigration from Korea to Hawaii to the present day where she celebrates her 20th anniversary with the USPS. The smaller panels reveal more intimate moments of Melanie’s life – health concerns during the birth of her two daughters, her battle with breast cancer, and her hardships as the breadwinner for her family.

I consider Melanie as my second mom; this book was a gift to her on Christmas (2018).