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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
An interesting intellectual exercise
This was not my cup of tea. I chose it for a reading challenge, a book out of my genre comfort zone, simply because I have never read mathematical fiction. It’s an interesting intellectual exercise, to imagine what it is like to exist in a two-dimensional world and what it would be like for someone to explain a three-dimensional world to you. I feel like I got the gist of the mathematical concepts, but perhaps there is a gap in my knowledge of which I am not aware that would have made this more enjoyable for me to read. The math aside, I didn’t care for the satire, which did nothing but make me feel angry and incredulous. I’m not sure if it was a particular society it was supposed to satirize? Or just society in 1884, when the book was first published? It felt very outdated. I guess I can say I’ve read it, and I will understand references that mention it, but beyond that, I feel like there are a couple hours of my life I am not going to get back.
This was not my cup of tea. I chose it for a reading challenge, a book out of my genre comfort zone, simply because I have never read mathematical fiction. It’s an interesting intellectual exercise, to imagine what it is like to exist in a two-dimensional world and what it would be like for someone to explain a three-dimensional world to you. I feel like I got the gist of the mathematical concepts, but perhaps there is a gap in my knowledge of which I am not aware that would have made this more enjoyable for me to read. The math aside, I didn’t care for the satire, which did nothing but make me feel angry and incredulous. I’m not sure if it was a particular society it was supposed to satirize? Or just society in 1884, when the book was first published? It felt very outdated. I guess I can say I’ve read it, and I will understand references that mention it, but beyond that, I feel like there are a couple hours of my life I am not going to get back.
dark
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Interesting concept, it would be worth a much more indepth read and analysis. Would be very fun to annotate.
adventurous
funny
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
sexism in two dimensional planes is almost impressive
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Imagine a world where things exist on a plane of two dimensions. There is no up and down at all. People this world with polygons whose social position is ruled by the number of sides they have (triangles are the plebs, circles are the priests) and the class structure is rigidly adhered to.
Then imagine of young person in this world who is contacted by a three dimensional sphere and who offers to take her out of her plane world and show her how the universe really is! This is the concept behind Flatland.
Part satire on the class structure of Victorian Britain, part teaching aid for teaching euclidian space, this is a classic book, aimed at children, but powerful and thought provoking enough for adults.
Its a very slim volume, but the content and its ideas will sit with you for a very long time.
Then imagine of young person in this world who is contacted by a three dimensional sphere and who offers to take her out of her plane world and show her how the universe really is! This is the concept behind Flatland.
Part satire on the class structure of Victorian Britain, part teaching aid for teaching euclidian space, this is a classic book, aimed at children, but powerful and thought provoking enough for adults.
Its a very slim volume, but the content and its ideas will sit with you for a very long time.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I found out about Flatland after Sheldon mentioned it during an episode of The Big Bang Theory. Proof that TV can educate! So I picked up a copy at the wonderful (and recently relocated post earthquake) Scorpio Books while on a short trip to Christchurch for an interview a few weeks ago. They always have a huge and varied selection of Penguin Classics, much to my delight.
Flatland, published in 1884, is part mathematical essay, part instruction in geometry, part introduction to imagining other dimensions, part philosophy, part social satire and wholly entertaining. We are led through Flatland, the inhabitants, social issues and daily aspects of living on a plane by the humble (though occasionally pompous) A. Square.
Flatland is a brutal place dolled up as civilisation with government corruption and conspiracies, enforced imprisonment or death for the lower classes and a complete disregard for women. It's quite entertaining to read as a satire (assuming that it fully was intended that way).
However, the maths is present throughout and it's a great little instructional text to open up a different world viewpoint, to pay attention to the mathematical wonders in daily life and to try and break our deeply held conceptions of how it all works. It pleads for a more open mind in trying to contemplate dimensions we have no way of measuring with no means of comparison or context. It's a short, fun, thoughtful and educational read and well worth an afternoon.
It's also available online for free in many places, having fallen out of copyright, so get it.
Flatland, published in 1884, is part mathematical essay, part instruction in geometry, part introduction to imagining other dimensions, part philosophy, part social satire and wholly entertaining. We are led through Flatland, the inhabitants, social issues and daily aspects of living on a plane by the humble (though occasionally pompous) A. Square.
Flatland is a brutal place dolled up as civilisation with government corruption and conspiracies, enforced imprisonment or death for the lower classes and a complete disregard for women. It's quite entertaining to read as a satire (assuming that it fully was intended that way).
However, the maths is present throughout and it's a great little instructional text to open up a different world viewpoint, to pay attention to the mathematical wonders in daily life and to try and break our deeply held conceptions of how it all works. It pleads for a more open mind in trying to contemplate dimensions we have no way of measuring with no means of comparison or context. It's a short, fun, thoughtful and educational read and well worth an afternoon.
It's also available online for free in many places, having fallen out of copyright, so get it.
funny
informative
inspiring
Got recommended this book by my math teacher while we are learning about the 4th dimension. Interesting book, I found the social commentary aspect appealing. Surprisingly, the protagonist learning about higher dimensions was probably the least interesting part of the book, though it did do a good job at explaining higher dimensions.