Flatland is a fascinating nineteenth century work - an utterly unique combination of multi-plane geometry, social satire and whimsy. Although its original publication went largely unnoticed, the discoveries of later physicists brought it new recognition and respect, and its popularity since has justly never waned. It remains a charming and entertaining read, and a brilliant introduction to the concept of dimensions beyond those we can perceive. This is a reworking of the expanded 2nd edition of 1884, with particularly large, clear text, and all the original author's illustrations.

What if there existed a world consisting of only two spatial dimensions? This mind-bending supposition is the jumping-off point for one of literature's most celebrated oddities: the 1884 novella *Flatland*, one of the earliest instances of modern speculative fiction, and perhaps the only instance of mathematical satire. In Flatland, a lowly square, whose polygonal betters exhibit more sides, discovers pathways to other worlds where, alas, thinking is as rigidly defined as in his own. Class structures, the position of women (who are but mere lines), and the stolidness of religious and political leaders are sent up with chilly aplomb. Beloved by fans of science fiction, students of dimensional physics, and readers of Victorian literature, this belongs on the shelf of any serious home library.

A satirical novella is set in the world of Flatland. Edwin Abbott Abbott writes pseudonymously as "A. Square" a plane form living in a two dimensional reality in order to offer pointed observations on the social hierarchy of Victorian culture. His place in the social hierarchy is in the middle class, and he describes effectively the other classes within his world. The dangerous Women, or single lines, the dull yet powerful Isosceles Triangles, or soldiers and laymen, the Equilateral Triangle, or tradesmen, the Nobility class, or Polygon class, and the Circles, or Priests, all combine to make a social order within Flatland. Their existence is complete with class strife, discrimination, alteration, regulation, wars, and power struggles, just as any other society in existence. When A. Square dreams of another world, Lineland, he is struck by a need to explain to the inhabitants the error of their one dimensional viewpoints and introduce them to a second dimension. Noted science writer Isaac Asimov described Flatland as "The best introduction one can find into the manner of perceiving dimensions" in a foreword to one publication. As such, the work is still popular amongst mathematics, physics and computer science students.

Flatland is a fascinating nineteenth century work - an utterly unique combination of multi-plane geometry, social satire and whimsy. Although its original publication went largely unnoticed, the discoveries of later physicists brought it new recognition and respect, and its popularity since has justly never waned. It remains a charming and entertaining read, and a brilliant introduction to the concept of dimensions beyond those we can perceive. This is a reworking of the expanded 2nd edition of 1884, with particularly large, clear text, and all the original author's illustrations.