Rating: 
Summary: A Gateway Book
Review: I read this book when I was 13 because my math teacher recommended it. This book is great. It was first published in 1952 and is still used and taught by schools, mathematicians, physicists, and others. I have always had an interest in math and since reading this book I have been reading other math/science related books nonstop. Anyone who likes math should read this book.
Rating:
Summary: a mind-expanding exercise of a book
Review: to the person who said "there ARE three dimmensions and we are NOT shapes"....the book is an allegory, and nowhere does it state that there isn't a third dimension. The book uses an IMAGINARY, multi-dimensional universe inhabited by shapes to convey the idea of higher and lower dimensions to us, who live in a three-dimensional world. the shapes aren't the point. the point is, (in my opinion) that we can use the same argument presented by A Square to A Sphere concerning higher dimensions, and apply it to our universe, and our dimension. I had to read this book over the summer as well, for freshman math, and i think it is great. It teaches you to think in entirely different ways, and i realize that a lot of people my age simply aren't up to that.
Rating: 
Summary: i'd rather read a 2 thousand page book about cheese
Review: okay, i was forced to read this book for summer reading. it was awful. i only have one thing to say about this book-there ARE three dimmensions and we are NOT shapes. stop forcing children to read this book!
Rating:
Summary: One of the most creative works ever
Review: Even though this was written around 1880 it still is one of the most creative science fiction books I have read. This is a real mindbender. Edwin A. Abbott made me realize in his novel how narrow minded I actually am even though I consider myself a very open minded person. I came away from this book realizing their are more dimensions out their that science has yet to discover. This book also has a hidden message in the book that most people are completely ignorant about the world around them. They think they know it all and have no desire to educate themselves further than the little education they already have.
People believe in myths and assumptions and are ignorant and don't bother to seek the real answers in life. This message was very powerful to me and an important lesson. This author was concise, wasn't wordy like so many sci-fi/fantasy authors now, and didn't fill the book with nothing but metaphors and similies, and got right to the point in his writing. It took me the same time to read this book as it takes me to read most of the long wordy sci-fi/fantasy novels out their now. When a 700-900 page novel takes the same time as a 150-250 page novel to read that means that 900 page novel is of very poor quality.
Rating:
Summary: "To the Secrets of Four, Five, or Even Six Dimensions"
Review: This is a book, indeed a fable, that was exquisitely designed to expand the mind. By showing how incomprehensible a three-dimensional world would be to two-dimensional entities, Abbott opens the door, and the mind, to speculation on higher dimensions. That is why the principles of this story are summarized in virtually every text dealing with the 4th dimension.
I believe Abbott framed this tale primarily to serve as a philosophical and mathematical justification of spiritual and "heavenly" subjects. After all, if a Sphere seemed a supernatural entity in Flatland, would not a 4th Dimensional entity seem so to us? I suspect that Mr. Abbott was also a Freemason, since the "regular progression of science from a point to a line, from a line to a superficies, from a superficies to a solid" is the way Freemasonry explains the process by which the Deity brings the four levels of existance into being. Actually, this is a neo-platonic teaching device that can be traced through the literature of the Renaissance, via medieval Spain, to Alexandria.... An examination of Theosophical Society literature from this period will also show a fascination with the 4th dimension as an explanation for spirit phenomena. Personally, I believe that this train of thought is still a quite valid analogy. I found this book a joy to read, but then, I was trained in classical Euclidian geometry and formal proofs as a boy. I understand that such training is quite extinct in most modern public schools....
Rating:
Summary: A Flat Out Fun Read
Review: Certainly the saving graces of this little gem are its brevity and Abbot's creativity. Much more of the descriptions of life in Flatland would have bordered on tedium. However, the explanation for the banishment of color in Flatland was very clever and one of the better parts of the story. As it is, it's a humorous, demure satire in the Swiftian vein whereby the protagonist, A. Square, teaches us about his world, has a series of adventures, and learns lessons about life (and mathematics) along the way. I question its value as a teaching tool, though. I fear the Victorian niceties employed in the exposition will seem stilted and nigh unbearable to today's younger audience, especially if assigned as schoolwork. But, I think those who already grasp the mathematics involved (basic geometry) will enjoy it. Also, A. Square's unabashed enthusiasm and thirst for knowledge are qualities one would happily encourage in students. My favorite part of the whole book has got to be the visit to the King of Pointland. The way Abbot so succinctly portrays humanity's capacity to ignore evidence that does not conform to preconceived notions, then force the facts to fit long established beliefs is a stroke of genius. In Pointland, ignorance really is bliss. This little tale definitely provided excellent entertainment for the price I paid here at Amazon. If it sounds interesting to you, I suggest putting it on your wish list, and then adding it to the next purchase you make (your wallet will barely feel it).
Rating: 
Summary: Intriuging, interesting, and maybe a little too short.
Review: This book is a good read because it's interesting, makes you think, and it's short.
The story is pretty obviously divided into two sections: One which describes a two-dimensional land and its inhabitants, one which describes how these characters react to the realization of a three-dimensional land like our own. The entire book satirically illustrates many social/cultural themes under the pretext of describing this two-dimensional civilization.
The book does an good job of detailing how the characters live and thrive in their two-dimensional world, as well as contrasting how many objects and actions which we take for granted in our world are not feasible in theirs.
Also, the author does a good job of making the reader think about how we perceive our world, as well as how we would see (or not see, as it were) a mythical 4D world. Drawing parallels between how we think about a 4D world and how the main characters think about a 3D world, I think, helps to further enjoyment and understanding of the book.
I usually like short books -- I can get through them, feel like I have accomplished something, and move on to another book. However, I feel this book was a little too short. Just when I was really getting involved, the book ended. I think it could have been taken so many more directions (or dimensions.. ha ha).
Nonetheless, I would recommend this book for anyone who likes to think casually about how we perceive (visually and physically) our universe. Even if you don't like to do that, it's kind of a fun story and a good satire. :)
Rating:
Summary: An incredible unique book
Review: I've read Ken Wilber refer to Flatland enough times to make me curious enough to read this book. This book is written from the perspective of a 2 dimensional being. His world consists of length and width only. The first half of this book is the main character describing every aspect of this two dimensional world. The second half is where it gets interesting. Our 2 dimensional main character interacts with a 3 dimensional being and a 1 dimensional being and describes how these interactions might take place. All this sets the stage for the 3 dimensional reader to ponder the experience of the 4th dimension and what 4 dimensional beings might be like.
Rating:
Summary: Nicely done, challenges your imagination
Review: The premise of this book is an exploration of a two dimenional world of people of various shapes - - more sides, and sides of equal length imply greater status - - but the shapes are not easily discerned (in a 2d world, you cant float to 'see' a square, because floating means travel in a 3rd dimension). Consequently, the order of the status quo can be difficult to maintain. By extrapolation, these limitations as we imagine them suggest limitations for us. And it's in the suggestions that that I find this book has its particular value. In Flatland, society finds a way to rank people. It's not easy but they do. And whether or not we think that ranking is valid is irrelevant - - it's THEIR ranking. What about ours? Gotta love it!
Rating:
Summary: A Very Pleasing Speculation
Review: Flatland and Sphereland are very well written books, but for entirely different reasons. Flatland is a fun story that takes you into the 2nd (and 1st, and 0th) dimensions to see what life is like there with its final goal to make you speculate on what the fourth dimension would be like. Flatland, the first book, excels at making you grasp the concepts and has a very good story to go along with it. The story seems to be the main focus, rather than the other aspects. Sphereland is entirely the opposite. Sphereland deals with ideas such as the expanding universe theory others. This it explains even clearer then flatland did. But Sphereland's focus was not on the story, but rather on the theories that it tried to convey. This may be a good thing in some people's minds, but I enjoyed the story of flatland and didn't like it pushed aside to explain the theories. I also didn't like the fixing of flatland to make it less backwards (Besides giving equality to women) since flatland to me was backwards. So If you want to learn complex Ideas simply and with fun, these are the books for you.
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