Hilde and Ylva Østby

Diving for Seahorses. A Book About Memory

Å dykke etter sjøhester

Take a plunge into the science of memory, together with sisters Hilde and Ylva Østby. They explore the many facets of memory and how it influences our lives, both from a neuroscience perspective and through conversations with some of the most influential memory researchers of our time. They meet people with a special kind of memory – at both ends of the memory spectrum from mnemonists, actors and taxi drivers, to amnesiacs – and discover that most memories are transformed and some are best forgotten. In the middle of winter, they send divers deep into the Oslo fjord in search of where our memories are stored. They wonder if what lies at the heart of memory is what will change our future.
Diving for Seahorses explains memory through personal and vivid tale telling, combining the best of two craftsmanships: Hilde is a novelist, and Ylva is a neuropsychologist.

’From the first page, it is clear that the Østby sisters have both a good grasp of the topic and skill in literary presentation. The text moves effortlessly between presentation of facts, interviews and reportage.’

Aftenposten

‘…readable and interesting. (…) this book will leave you baffled about how complex memory is.’

Fædrelandsvennen

’A unique book about memory (…) science and research presented with wit and energy.’

Bokstaver.no

Hilde Østby (b. 1975) is a historian of ideas, author, journalist and former publishing editor. She made her début as an author in 2013 with the critically acclaimed novel Leksikon om lengsel (Lexicon of Longing).

Ylva Østby (b. 1979) has a doctorate in neuropsychology from The University in Oslo and is one of Norway’s leading experts on how memory functions.