Flatterland by Ian Stewart, Macmillan/Perseus, £14.99, ISBN
0333783123
IN 1884, head teacher Edwin Abbott wrote Flatland, a classic of
scientific popularisation about a curious two-dimensional world inhabited by
geometric figures. The author communicated the concept of a space of more than
three dimensions by inviting them to imagine how a flatlander would react to the
outrageous suggestion of a third dimension.
Flatterland is a modern sequel in which two-dimensional teenager
Victoria (Vikki) Line leaves home after a family row accompanied by a very
intelligent bouncing Space Hopper who acts as her mentor.
With its help, she begins to explore the…
