Flatterland: Like Flatland, Only More So by Ian Stewart
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Book Reviews of Flatterland: Like Flatland, Only More So
Book Review: A sequel just as good as the original
Summary: 5 Stars
If imitation is the sincerest form of flatterly, that expertly executed imitation must certainly be the most...flattering.
In this way, excellent flattery is what this book both promises and delivers in a big way.
After having read the Edwin Abbott Abbott book Flatland in 1962, ideas germinated in Ian Stewart's head for three decades before he took pen in hand and created, Flatterland...a sequel just as good as the original.
For those who don't know, Flatland is the 1884 story of square living in a flat society, Flatland, who comes to learn about higher dimensions, with his friend the sphere.
Set one hundred years later, Flatterland picks up the story with Victoria the line segment, Mr. Square's grand daughter, who re-visits high dimensions given modern understanding of what those higher dimensions are.
And even though some discussions contain pretty academic mathematical theory, on the whole, the book manages that unique accessibility and magic that comes when true understanding is combined with a great ability to communicate.
If all Stewart managed was to create a modern tour of physics and math touching on such diverse topics as how the universe came to be, whether we really do live in a "uni"verse,contemporary M brane theory, string theory and how other dimensions relate to all these issues, the book would merit five stars.
However, and to Stewart's credit, the book actually also touches on higher dimensions as a metaphor for overturning two dimensional ways of looking at things...just like the original. If Abbott was around to read this book one can't help but think that he and Mr. Square would be very pleased indeed.
Book Review: Flatterland, a remarkable sequel to a remarkable book.
Summary: 5 Stars
When I first read Flatland (the original) I was deeply inspired and fasinated by the 4th dimensional ideas it brought up. When I picked up a copy of Flatterland, I had hoped for an interesting read with maybe a few new concepts at best, but I certainly got more than I bargained for. Flatterland takes you on a journey through much more than just the 4th dimension (which is interesting enough already.) He takes you through non-Eucludean dimensions, the world of 1.25 dimensions, theoretical dimensions, and even a world of infinite dimension. Ian Stewart brilliantly plays on words and makes you laugh at every step of the way. The ideas brought up are so fasinating and cutting edge, that it definately deserves more than one reading, and better still, they are explained in detail so that even the most complex concepts are easily understood. This book is clever, amusing, and perhaps even brilliant. I highly recommend it.Book Review: No Words to Describe It!
Summary: 5 Stars
As a high school student, I was tortured into reading this book for Math Analysis. Having previously read Flatland, I was not keen on the idea of reading the sequel. My grade-conscious self got the better of me and I started to read the book. From the first chapter I was enthralled! Ian Stewart knew how to write and keep my attention. My parents had to threaten me so I would put it down so I could eat. (Imagine: a high schooler entranced in a MATH book!) I so totally recommend this book because I would have NEVER understood Mandelblot (er... Mandelbrot) nor would I have read on to discover a plethora of new dimensions (one and a quarter). I would recommend any person, avid mathematician or high schooler, to read this. It was easily understood and Ian Stewart is a fantastic writer! Too bad they didn't have ten stars!Book Review: An enjoyable sequel
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is a sequel to Edwin Abbott's "Flatland" and makes its heroine a granddaughter of the hero of Abbott's book. Some people may find his playing with words excessive (his heroine is named "Victoria Line," combining the fact that she is literally a geometric "line" with the name of a subway line in London) but the book manages to cover a lot of territory in an amusing manner. I can't say I _learned_ a lot from the book, because I already knew most of its subject matter, but I'd certainly encourage someone who wanted to learn about curved spaces and higher dimensions to read it. The ultimate accolade: _After_ I had read it from cover to cover, I bought a copy, just so I'd have it in my own library.Book Review: More math than social analogy
Summary: 5 Stars
For those looking for a continuation of the original, this book may miss the mark on social commentary. I gave it 5 stars on its own merit; rated as a true sequel, it would have to be much lower (maybe 3). Professor Stewart takes the concept of unusual geometry several steps beyond what Abbot did, not just dealing with extra dimensions, but also gets into concepts like projective geometry and graph theory (just to name two). He does this through a narrative that keeps things simple, but not too much so; there are sections that may take a second read for someone with limited background in non-cartesian geometry, but it does not overload the reader and keeps it fun (quite a bit of word play/puns keep it light hearted).