Irreverent, painfully honest and often hilarious, Why Didn’t I Notice Her Before? is a beautifully observed memoir that finds courage and humor in the face of undefeatable odds.

A New York film editor explores how a cancer diagnosis has changed her outlook on life, asking "will an illness as serious as this teach me that I no longer need to fix things, and can I finally release my grip and get on with living?” 

The author has a rare talent for mining small, but lasting lessons—whether reflecting on the host of new parenting concerns that come with her diagnosis or weighing the dueling emotions she feels towards an overly attentive family. And the windows into her marriage are touching reminders that the coupling of any two personalities is bound to cause some feather ruffling, friction and emotional dissonance. 

Cramer's writing is characterized by an eagle-eyed search for positivity: "Fuck it. I want to live my life, not spend time making legacy boxes of my unfinished one." For the author, this statement is an act of personal catharsis, but her message has an inspirational universality.