The brilliant "sequel" to one of the all-time classics of popular mathematics.

In 1884, Edwin A. Abbott published a brilliant novel about mathematics and philosophy that charmed and fascinated all of England. As both a witty satire of Victorian society and a means by which to explore the fourth dimension, Flatland remains a tour de force. Now, British mathematician and accomplished science writer Ian Stewart has written a fascinating, modern sequel to Abbott's book. Through larger-than-life characters and an inspired story line, Flatterland explores our present understanding of the shape and origins of the universe, the nature of space, time, and matter, as well as modern geometries and their applications. The journey begins when our heroine, Victoria Line, comes upon her great-great-grandfather A. Square's diary, hidden in the attic. The writings help her to contact the Space Hopper, who becomes her guide and mentor through eleven dimensions. Along the way, we meet Schrödinger's Cat, The Charming Construction Entity, The Mandelblot (who lives in Fractalia), and Moobius the one-sided cow. In the tradition of Alice in Wonderland and The Phantom Toll Booth, this magnificent investigation into the nature of reality is destined to become a modern classic.

伊恩·斯圖爾特（Ian Stewart）是英國著名數學傢與科普作傢，英國皇傢學會會員。他1945年齣生於英國，在劍橋大學獲得數學碩士學位，繼而又在英國近年來聲譽鵲起的瓦威剋大學獲得自然哲學博士學位。畢業後留校任教職至今。他曾在德國、新西蘭、美國和中國香港訪問並工作。

1995年，他榮獲著名的法拉第奬；1997年獲得一年一度在英國科學知識普及協會主辦的英國聖誕全國電視講座上發錶科普講座的殊榮。2001年，他當選為英國皇傢學會院士。

他是一位非常多産的數學傢和科普作傢，獨自和與他人閤作，在《科學的美國人》、《新科學傢》和《自然》等一流科學雜誌上發錶瞭140餘篇論文，還齣版瞭25部數學專著、科學哲學著述與科普作品，其中的三部已有瞭中譯本，分彆是，《第二重奧秘：生命王國的新數學》（周仲良等譯，上海科學技術齣版社，2002年）；《自然之數》（潘濤譯，劉華傑校，上海科學技術齣版社，1996年）；《上帝擲骰子嗎？》（潘濤譯，硃照宣校，上海遠東齣版社，1995年）。