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Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions (version 2)

This is a satirical novel written by Edwin A. Abbott, first published in 1884. Abbott uses a two-dimensional world, with himself as the protagonist, known simply as "A Square", to deride the Victorian aristocracy and its hierarchies. But the book has retained its value throughout the years for its unique portrayal of a two-dimensional world, and how a Sphere introduces the Square to the incomprehensible possibility of a third dimension. Once the square fully understands the third dimension, he suggests to the Sphere that even a fourth, fifth, or sixth dimension could exist. But the Sphere sends the square back to his two-dimensional world, where he cannot convince anyone of the existence of a three dimensional world. - Summary by Linda Olsen Fitak Read by Linda Olsen Fitak and Aaron White. (4 hr 31 min)

Chapters

PREFACE TO THE SECOND AND REVISED EDITION, 1884, BY THE EDITOR

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 I Vainly Tried to Explain the Nature of Flatland

Concerning a Stranger from Spaceland

How the Stranger Vainly Endeavored to Reveal to Me in Words the Mysteries of Sp…

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 shewed me other mysteries of Spaceland, I still desire m…

How the Sphere encouraged me in a vision

How I tried to teach the Theory of Three Dimensions to my Grandson, and with wh…

How I then tried to diffuse the Theory of Three Dimensions by other means, and …