Flatland: An Edition with Notes and Commentary

by Edwin A. Abbott , William F. Lindgren , Thomas F. Banchoff

• ISBN13: 9780521759946
• ISBN10: 0521759943
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-11-27
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

Flatland, Edwin Abbott's story of a two-dimensional universe, as told by one of its inhabitants who is introduced to the mysteries of three-dimensional space, has enjoyed an enduring popularity from the time of its publication in 1884. This fully annotated edition enables the modern-day reader to understand and appreciate the many 'dimensions' of this classic satire. Mathematical notes and illustrations enhance the usefulness of Flatland as an elementary introduction to higher-dimensional geometry. Historical notes show connections to late-Victorian England and to classical Greece. Citations from Abbott's other writings as well as the works of Plato and Aristotle serve to interpret the text. Commentary on language and literary style includes numerous definitions of obscure words. An appendix gives a comprehensive account of the life and work of Flatland's remarkable author.

Author Biography

William F. Lindgren is a professor of mathematics at Slippery Rock University. He is the coauthor of Quasi-Uniform Spaces (with Peter Fletcher). Thomas F. Banchoff is a professor of mathematics at Brown University. He is the author of Beyond the Third Dimension, Linear Algebra through Geometry (with John Wermer), and an introduction to a new edition of Henry P. Manning's The Fourth Dimension Simply Explained.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. vii
Introduction	p. 1
Flatland with Notes and Commentary	p. 8
This World
Of the Nature of Flatland	p. 16
Of the Climate and Houses in Flatland	p. 20
Concerning the Inhabitants of Flatland	p. 26
Concerning the Women	p. 34
Of our Methods of Recognizing one another	p. 44
Of Recognition by Sight	p. 54
Concerning Irregular Figures	p. 66
Of the Ancient Practice of Painting	p. 74
Of the Universal Colour Bill	p. 80
Of the Suppression of the Chromatic Sedation	p. 88
Concerning our Priests	p. 96
Of the Doctrine of our Priests	p. 102
Other Worlds
How I had a Vision of Lineland	p. 116
How in my Vision I endeavoured to explain the nature of Flatland, but could not	p. 126
Concerning a Stranger from Spaceland	p. 138
How the Stranger vainly endeavoured to reveal to me in words the mysteries of Spaceland	p. 146
How the Sphere, having in vain tried words, resorted to deeds	p. 164
How I came to Spaceland, and what I saw there	p. 170
How, though the Sphere showed me other mysteries of Spaceland, I still desired more; and what came of it	p. 180
How the Sphere encouraged me in a Vision	p. 196
How I tried to teach the Theory of Three Dimensions to my Grandson, and with what success	p. 204
How I then tried to diffuse the Theory of Three Dimensions by other means, and of the result	p. 210
Epilogue by the Editor	p. 220
Continued Notes	p. 228
Critical Reaction to Flatland	p. 233
The Life and Work of Edwin Abbott Abbott	p. 239
Recommended Reading	p. 267
References	p. 269
Index of Defined Words	p. 277
Index	p. 280
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