Deep sea diving

Ida Lødemel Tvedt writes about loneliness and madness, about coming home and love in times of neurodiversity. Her collection of essays deals with childhood and home, with a sense of adventure and the depths of the ocean. The Norwegian writer reflects on both timeless and contemporary voices, such as those of Simone Weil, Martha Nussbaum, Hannah Arendt, Sartre, Nietzsche, Dolly Parton, Susan Sontag, Gertrude Stein, James Baldwin, and Claire-Louise Bennett. Her reflections navigate a world—between Europe and the USA, between urban settings and vast landscapes—that sometimes appears cold and disillusioned, only to then seem euphoric and benevolent. Tvedt critiques narcissism, racial discourse, and human essence—and essay writing itself. She aligns herself with a movement that seeks to move away from the self-centered culture of the essay to provide more space for politically and socially critical and fact-oriented essay writing. Her work 'Deep Sea Diving' is characterized by sharp observational skills, a strong critical voice, and refreshing ideas. The title of the essay may suggest a quest for depth, an exploration of social orders and dynamics, but perhaps it also merely refers to the author's maritime fantasies.