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[Fiction] Flatland (Edwin A Abbott)(Click here to view the original thread with full colors/images)
Posted by: xoshade
[Fiction] Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions, by Edwin A.Abbott.
Since this forum is currently dull and lifeless (all too busy reading books, ain'tcha?), I decided I might dull it up a bit more by posting something about a book so thin, so very, very [Cleese]wafer thin[/Cleese] that it couldn't possibly give offence to anyone who cared to explore its teeny tiny domain. It is, in fact, a sugary piece of thought-candy.
The premise of this nineteenth-century sci-fi short story is this: That there exists a realm, complete with a sophisticated society, wherein dwell such entities known as "Figures", that you and I perceive as nothing more than lines, squares, triangles, etc. on a plane surface. This vibrant, often volatile, universe is known as "Flatland" for want of a better term and is the home of our guide - A. Square.
Square, being a man of reason (and no mean mathematical dexterity), takes pains to explain to us, the people of Spaceland, how Figures go about their daily, two-dimensional lives, how certain geometric shapes are considered superior to others and how it is that his society has developed into a fairly strict regime, whereby Configuration is considered the natural order of things and Configuration the means by which all Figures are judged.
Evolution is a matter of gaining regularity and angles through the generations. Circles, with their superior angularity, rule supreme over lesser shapes. Women, who are but straight lines and thus lacking in angularity, are effectively disenfranchised. All other classes have varying degrees of use and status, with our Square at the level of 'professional'.
Necessity controls social activity as much as any adherence to the "natural law" of Configuration, as we find when the matter of being able to approach a woman without being speared by her near-invisible rear end comes into question.
quote:
Concerning the Women
The rhythmical and, if I may so say, well-modulated undulation of the back of our ladies of Circular rank is envied and imitated by the wife of a common Equilateral, who can achieve nothing beyond a mere monotonous swing, like the ticking of a pendulum
More lowly even than womankind, we are told of the dire situation of an Irregular, whose perception in society, Configuration demands, is that of a monster.
quote:
Concerning Irregular Figures
"The Irregular," they say, "is from his birth scouted by his own parents, derided by his brothers and sisters, neglected by the domestics, scorned and suspected by society, and excluded from all posts of responsibility, trust, and useful activity. His every movement is jealously watched by the police till he comes of age and presents himself for inspection; then he is either destroyed, if he is found to exceed the fixed margin of deviation, or else immured in a Government Office as a clerk of the seventh class; prevented from marriage; forced to drudge at an uninteresting occupation for a miserable stipend; obliged to live and board at the office, and to take even his vacation under close supervision; what a wonder that human nature, even in the best and purest, is embittered and perverted by such surroundings!"
After a brief historical account of the discovery of colour in Flatland and a description of the priestly caste, Square recounts his experience of a vision, wherein he met with the King of Lineland and sought to convince His Majesty of that realm's dimensional inferiority.
Following this episode, Square is visited by a being whose very existence challenges his whole concept of Configuration. Adopting the Gospel of Three Dimensions, our devoted Square is left with his final task - Proving to all the other Figures that there is, indeed, an "upward".
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If you want a fully-realised fantasy environment, Flatland has it. Of course, some points are glossed over (how exactly do Figures mine resources?), but overall, there's logic at work here. Physical and social needs are addressed and the results from neglect of these needs noted and remarked upon.
Characterisation is kept to a minimum, but since mathematics and personality are so closely linked in this world, there's plenty of insight into the minor characters and, of course, Square relates a great many thoughts as he narrates.
My main reason for recommending this book is so that you can get a taste of the alien landscape which rises up when you doodle on your notebook, but it's also good for checking your capacity for empathy, especially when you hear of the sorry state some lines find themselves in.
If you think it's worth a look, I snared my Dover Thrift edition from Amazon.co.uk for £1.25, but there's also an annotated version available. If I knew it was going to be this good, I would have bought that instead.
I do want to read the modern-day sequel, though - Flatterland. 
Posted by: Kingtut
Sound interesting - I'll have a look in Waterstones at the weekend. If I ordered it from Amazon, the postage would be more than the book price 
Posted by: xoshade
It's refreshing to explore a fantasy world with no elves or cyberpunks cramming the pages.
Posted by: Kingtut
I'm tempted to buy 'Flatland' together with 'Flatter Land'. They have a deal on at a Amazon  Waterstones didn't have the book 
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