‘“Either this is madness or it is Hell.”
“It is neither,” calmly replied the voice of the Sphere, “it is Knowledge.”’

Published in 1884, Flatland is a profoundly imaginative social satire that continues to influence popular culture today.

A two-dimensional universe, Flatland is inhabited by geometric figures: women are line segments, workers are triangles and nobility are hexagons. Narrated by the esteemed square, a well-respected gentleman, the reader becomes privy to the ins and outs of this bizarre world, where there is no sky or weather, its citizens are restricted in their sight and movement, and social hierarchy rules supreme. An acute social commentary on the rigid classes of Victorian society, Flatland is also celebrated for its early exploration of dimensions, which went on to spark the interest of physicists such as Carl Sagan and Stephen Hawking. A fascinating thought experiment, Abbott’s novella remains one of the most unique works in literary history.

Edwin Abbott Abbott (1838 – 1926) was an English educator, priest and writer. After studying theology at Cambridge university, he worked in various schools before becoming headmaster of the City of London School, where he taught the future Prime Minister, H. H. Asquith. A prolific writer, Abbott penned books on English philology and theology – many of which remain influential contributions to the disciplines.