The Annotated Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions - Hardcover

Stewart, Ian

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 190398517X ISBN 13: 9781903985175

Publisher: Basic Books, 2002

Synopsis

Flatland is a unique, delightful satire that has charmed readers for over a century. Published in 1884 by the English clergyman and headmaster 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 original, 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 traced 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.

About this title

Review:

"Stewart... is renowned for his popular science books, but Why Beauty is Truth is without a doubt the finest." Nature "Stewart, long a class act in popular maths, does not shy from presenting equations, illuminating them with imagistic explanations and sympathetic character sketches of heroes past and present." Guardian "I resorted to hiding (Why Beauty is Truth) from other members of the family until I'd finished and am confident that those on the 'waiting list' will not be disappointed. Inspirational." TLS"

Synopsis:

The satirical "Flatland" was published in 1884 by the English clergyman and headmaster 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 theories of relativity. Like the book itself, Ian Stewart's commentary takes readers on a strange and wonderful journey. Stewart illuminates Abbott's numerous Victorian references, weaves in little-known biographical information about Abbott and his intellectual circle - elucidating Abbott's connection 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 Hilton, whose wild speculations on 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 connections between "Flatland" and Edward A. Abbott's life and times.

About this edition

• Publisher: Basic Books
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 190398517X
• ISBN 13: 9781903985175
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 272