Public Libraries of Suffolk County, New York

Flatland, a romance of many dimensions, with illustrations by the author, A. Square, Edwin A. Abbott ; with an Introduction by Valerie Smith and a new afterword by John Allen Paulos

eng

illustrations

no index present

non fiction

Flatland

with illustrations by the author, A. Square, Edwin A. Abbott ; with an Introduction by Valerie Smith and a new afterword by John Allen Paulos

a romance of many dimensions

"With wry humor and penetrating satire, Flatland takes us on a mind-expanding journey into a different world to give us a new vision of our own. A. Square, the slightly befuddled narrator, is born into a place limited to two dimensions -- irrevocably flat -- and peopled by a hierarchy of geometrical forms. In a Gulliver-like tour of his bizarre homeland, A. Square spins a fascinating tale of domestic drama and political turmoil, from sex among consenting triangles to the intentional subjugation of Flatland's females. He tells of visits to Lineland, the world of one dimension, and Pointland, the world of no dimension. But when A. Square dares to speak openly of a third, or even a fourth, dimension, his tragic fate climaxes a brilliant parody of Victorian society. An underground favorite since its publication in England in1884, Flatland is as prophetic a science fiction classic as the works of H. G. Wells, introducing aspects of relativity and hyperspace years before Einstein's famous theories. And it does so with wonderful, enduring enchantment. With an Introduction by Valerie Smith and a New Afterword by John Allen Paulos"--Page 4 of cover

Of the nature of Flatland -- Of the climate and houses in Flatland -- Concerning the inhabitants of Flatland -- Concerning the women-- Of our methods of recognizing one another -- Of recognition by sight -- Concerning irregular figures -- Of the ancient practice of painting -- Of the universal colour bill -- Of the suppression of the chromatic sedition -- Concerning our priests -- Of the doctrine of our priests -- How I had a vision of Lineland -- How in my vision I endeavored to explain the nature of Flatland, but could not -- Concerning a stranger from Spaceland -- How the stranger vainly endeavoured to reveal to me in words the mysteries of Spaceland -- How the sphere, having in vain tried words, resorted to deeds -- How I came to Spaceland, and what I saw there -- How, though the sphere showed me other mysteries of Spaceland, I still desired more; and what came of it -- How the sphere encouraged me in a vision -- How I tried to teach the theory of three dimensions to my grandson, and with what success -- How I then tried to diffuse the theory of three dimensions by other means, and of the result