The Book of Sand

“The line consists of an infinite number of points; the plane, of an infinite number of lines; the volume, of an infinite number of planes; the hypervolume, of an infinite number of volumes…No—this, more geometrico, is decidedly not the best way to begin my tale.”

This opening line introduces both the theme of infinity and the device of narration. It immediately presents broad, abstract concepts that are at the intersection of perception and mathematics, expanding from point to plane to volume. At the same time, the narrator makes himself known in a conversational style, questioning his own ability to tell the story.

“It’s not only Bibles I sell. I can show you a sacred book that might interest a man such as yourself. I came by it in northern India, in Bikaner.”

Here, the salesman reveals that the book is sacred, despite not being able to read any of its contents. The origin of the book is also revealed, creating a circular argument that links the ideas of spirituality and Eastern cultures: It is sacred because it came from India, and India is sacred because it produced the book. The salesman believes the narrator will be interested in the book because he has already shown interest in the Bible, which is also considered sacred.

“‘Nineteenth century, I’d say,’ I observed. ‘I don’t know,’ was the reply. ‘Never did know.’”

The narrator probes for more information on the book, here, taking a guess at the century in which it was created. The 19th century was just one century prior to the writing of the story, which lends to the assumption that the book is not that old in contrast to the others in his collection.