# Flatland by Edwin Abbott Abbott

Hacker Approved page: https://hackerapproved.com/p/flatland/

5 people recommended Flatland by Edwin Abbott Abbott in Hacker News comments, 1 had mixed feelings and none criticized it, November 2025 to October 2026. It was recommended in 5 of 12 months, in 5 threads. It does not meet the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** Recommended for explaining dimensions in an easy-to-understand way; its sexist and classist elements satirize Victorian culture.

Summary written by Claude from 4 comments.

## Why people recommend it

- Explains dimensionality in an easy way (2 comments in the sample): "helps explain dimensionality in really easy to understand way" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46685387)) "Flatland is an interesting way to think about dimensions." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47374793))
- Praised as a fantastic book (1 comment in the sample): "the fantastic book, “Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46392089))
- Satirizes Victorian culture (1 comment in the sample): "it's got sexist and classist elements and satirizes victorian culture" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46688289))

## Other novellas people recommend

- [Animal Farm by George Orwell](https://hackerapproved.com/p/animal-farm/): 17 recommend, 4 mixed, 4 criticize
- [The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://hackerapproved.com/p/little-prince/): 15 recommend, 3 mixed, 4 criticize
- [Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://hackerapproved.com/p/notes-from-underground/): 6 recommend, 0 mixed, 0 criticize
- [A Short Stay in Hell by Steven L. Peck](https://hackerapproved.com/p/a-short-stay-in-hell/): 5 recommend, 0 mixed, 0 criticize

## The badge

A product earns the Hacker Approved badge when at least 10 people recommend it, recommenders outnumber critics at least 2 to 1 (mixed feelings count toward neither side), it was recommended in at least 4 of the 12 months and in at least 5 different threads, and no single thread supplies more than half of the people who recommend it. Health and money products are never badged.

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Flatland by Edwin Abbott Abbott", https://hackerapproved.com/p/flatland/ (5 recommend, 1 mixed, 0 criticize; Hacker News comments, November 2025 to October 2026).

Counts updated 2 Nov 2026, with data through October 31, 2026.