Perspective

Cathy Crimmins was a professional author, and she brought her professional writing experience to the book for her autobiographical narrative of Alan's injury and recovery. Because Crimmins was very close to the material, her emotions are often obvious. Crimmins seemed very sorrowful for the husband she had lost, since the new Alan post-injury seemed to be a different person than the husband she had known. She was a fierce and loyal advocate for her husband, fighting for him when he could not fight for himself.

Crimmins wrote in the present tense, which provides a sense of immediacy as well as a feeling for the reader that he or she is alongside Crimmins for all the ups and downs of Alan's recovery, and all the different revelations about what he did and did not retain in regards to his faculties. The present tense choice also makes the narrative feel...