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The Annotated Flatland

A Romance of Many Dimensions

By Edwin A. Abbott, Ian Stewart

(144)

| Hardcover | 9780738205410

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Book Description

The first-ever annotated edition of the beloved classic, beautifully illustrated and brilliantly brought to life for a new generation of readers.

Flatland is a unique, delightful satire that has charmed readers for over a century. Published in 1884 by the English clergyman and head-masterContinue

The first-ever annotated edition of the beloved classic, beautifully illustrated and brilliantly brought to life for a new generation of readers.

Flatland is a unique, delightful satire that has charmed readers for over a century. Published in 1884 by the English clergyman and head-master Edwin A. Abbott, it is the fanciful tale of A. Square, a two-dimensional being who is whisked away by a mysterious visitor to The Land of Three Dimensions, an experience that forever alters his worldview. By contemplating the notion of dimensions beyond their own, Abbott's Victorian readers were exposed to the then-radical idea of a fourth dimension-preparing them for Einstein's spectacular theories of relativity.

Like the book itself, Ian Stewart's commentary takes readers on a strange and wonderful journey. With clarity and wit, Stewart illuminates Abbott's numerous Victorian references, weaves in little-known biographical information about Abbott and his intellectual circle-elucidating Abbott's remarkable connections to H. G. Wells and the mathematician George Boole-and traces the scientific evolution of geometric forms and dimensions. In addition, Stewart provides an extensive bibliography of Abbott's work and that of Charles Howard Hinton, whose wild but ingenious speculations about the fourth dimension undoubtedly inspired Abbott's fable. Touching on such diverse topics as ancient Babylon, Karl Marx, the Indian Mutiny of 1857, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, the Gregorian calendar, Mount Everest, and phrenology, Stewart makes fascinating connections between Flatland and Edwin A. Abbott's life and times. The result is a classic to rival Abbott's own, and a book that will inspire and delight curious readers for generations to come.

Critics

  • Geometrical Creatures

    One feature of the world that few people stop to puzzle over is how many dimensions it has. Although it is a little tricky to say just what a dimension is, it does seem fairly obvious that we, the objects that surround us, and the space we move about ... (read full critics)

    nybooks published on Sat, 21 Aug 2010

15 Reviews

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  • 3 people find this helpful

    Off the Charts Amazing!!!

    Packed with so many different layers of satire hitting every nail on the head, this novela is destined to become a classic, a legend. When you change the way you look at the world, boy you change the world. And Mr Abbott was a philologist? That may explain why I, a non-native English speaker, love h ... (continue)

    Packed with so many different layers of satire hitting every nail on the head, this novela is destined to become a classic, a legend. When you change the way you look at the world, boy you change the world. And Mr Abbott was a philologist? That may explain why I, a non-native English speaker, love his writing style so much. Beautiful English!

    Will definitely reread.

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    toni said on Aug 13, 2011 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

  • 1 person find this helpful

    In a word: mindblowing. When reading it keep in mind this book has been written in the 1880, as such many theories weren't invented yet. If you can follow the reading (which I admit, in order to do so you must love math) and impersonate "the circle", this book will really, really blow your mi ... (continue)

    In a word: mindblowing. When reading it keep in mind this book has been written in the 1880, as such many theories weren't invented yet. If you can follow the reading (which I admit, in order to do so you must love math) and impersonate "the circle", this book will really, really blow your mind.

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    Ivan said on Aug 12, 2011 about the Others edition | Add your feedback

  • 1 person find this helpful

    When I first read this book, I really liked it. I think an interesting part of the book is the way in which Edwin Abbott makes us understand that the difficulties to imagine a 4-dimensional world for a human being are the same that a 2-dimensional being has when it tries to imagine a 3D world. Yes, ... (continue)

    When I first read this book, I really liked it. I think an interesting part of the book is the way in which Edwin Abbott makes us understand that the difficulties to imagine a 4-dimensional world for a human being are the same that a 2-dimensional being has when it tries to imagine a 3D world. Yes, it seems to be too controversial but, trust me, this book needs to be added to your shelves!

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    L.D.G. said on Oct 22, 2010 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

  • 1 person find this helpful

    This is the most original book I've ever read. It's different and simple, but describes things with accuracy. I found the descriptions of Flatland society funny. I enjoyed it very much. It's worth reading it.

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    Ena said on Sep 27, 2010 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

  • 1 person find this helpful

    I had read "Flatland" before, and I confirm my previous opinion that, true to its subtitle, this novel has many dimensions: satire, geometry, wordplay, pioneer sci-fi, just to name a few.
    As regards this annotated version in particular, the notes are mainly math-oriented, so they can be a real trea ... (continue)

    I had read "Flatland" before, and I confirm my previous opinion that, true to its subtitle, this novel has many dimensions: satire, geometry, wordplay, pioneer sci-fi, just to name a few.
    As regards this annotated version in particular, the notes are mainly math-oriented, so they can be a real treat for pro & amateur mathematicians, but they might disappoint other readers more interested, say, in the satirical aspects of the novel.
    The overall layout of this edition, however, is quite puzzling. Too many times you have to go chasing a numbered note several pages ahead of its printed reference in the text.

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    ary29 said on Apr 8, 2010 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

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