Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions cover art

Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions

 Preview

Get 30 days of Standard free

£5.99/mo after trial. Cancel monthly.
Try for £0.00
More purchase options
Buy Now for £11.05

Buy Now for £11.05

About this listen

Abbott used the fictional two-dimensional world of Flatland to offer pointed observations on the social hierarchy of Victorian culture. However, the novella's more enduring contribution is its examination of dimensions, for which the novella is still popular amongst mathematics, physics, and computer science students. Several films have been made from the story, including a feature film in 2007 called Flatland. Other efforts have been short or experimental films, including one narrated by Dudley Moore and a short film with Martin Sheen titled Flatland: The Movie.

Public Domain (P)2012 Trout Lake Media Classics Fantasy Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Science Fiction Mathematics
All stars
Most relevant

If you could sum up Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions in three words, what would they be?

Incredible, was quite entertaining. Very different take on a story, using math, shapes and dimensions to explore reality and society.

The first few chapters were rather complicated and required some concentration, but once you get your head around the basics it's an easy going and very enjoyable story.

What did you like best about this story?

Loved the new approach to highlighting issues and features of society and reality. Really gets you thinking about our existence in physical dimensions and the possibilities of the unknown.

Would you be willing to try another one of Alan Munro’s performances?

Although I enjoyed the book, it's not the best reading. Very deep and monotone voice. I wouldn't specifically avoid another but I wouldn't hunt one down either.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Nope, the voice made it hard to concentrate on the technical bits, especially when tired! :P

Any additional comments?

I'm not a mathematician or physicist, however I think the fundamental principles of the main characters' reality are wrong? If they are two-dimensional beings - they should exist only in two-dimensions... The main character describes how he can only see the two dimensions of length (X) and distance (Z) but then goes onto describe objects having a thickness, a height (Y) of some sort. He sees objects as "lines", but if he were in a true 2D space he would not be able to perceive the side of objects and therefore no edge or slice to be see. It seems they actually live in a three-dimensional space where one dimension (height, [Y]) is fixed at a slither, although this dimension is small and uniform for all objects, it is by no means a two-dimensional existence.

Very thought provoking!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
boring narration.
theories and ideas after a while become suffocating.
some very old fashioned and backwards ideas.
the author clearly is struggling with his own perception of his life.

Interesting but dated

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I will definitely read this to my kids when they are 8/9 years old to expand their minds and perspectives.

A true cllassic

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
but difficult to follow at times plus narrator mate not best for this book. overall intersting considering it age.

creativity and thought provoking

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This is just nuts. I hung about thinking about my odd shape and quickly realised this gentleman is possibly scared of women, or triangles or both. It's fascinating but I'm not sure I totally get it. I will try again next time I feel crazy.

Note from an oddly shaped (possibly sharp) triangle

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews