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·斯图尔特（Ian Stewart）是英国著名数学家与科普作家，英国皇家学会会员。他1945年出生于英国，在剑桥大学获得数学硕士学位，继而又在英国近年来声誉鹊起的瓦威克大学获得自然哲学博士学位。毕业后留校任教职至今。他曾在德国、新西兰、美国和中国香港访问并工作。

1995年，他荣获著名的法拉第奖；1997年获得一年一度在英国科学知识普及协会主办的英国圣诞全国电视讲座上发表科普讲座的殊荣。2001年，他当选为英国皇家学会院士。

他是一位非常多产的数学家和科普作家，独自和与他人合作，在《科学的美国人》、《新科学家》和《自然》等一流科学杂志上发表了140余篇论文，还出版了25部数学专著、科学哲学著述与科普作品，其中的三部已有了中译本，分别是，《第二重奥秘：生命王国的新数学》（周仲良等译，上海科学技术出版社，2002年）；《自然之数》（潘涛译，刘华杰校，上海科学技术出版社，1996年）；《上帝掷骰子吗？》（潘涛译，朱照宣校，上海远东出版社，1995年）。