Blue cloth binding with black title on the spine.

We provide an in-depth photographic presentation of this item to stimulate your feeling and touch. More traditional book descriptions are immediately available. 

•      Note: This book carries a £5.00 discount to those that subscribe to the F.B.A. mailing list

Please view our photographs. This is a nice copy which regrettably does NOT have a dust jacket; otherwise it is in very good order,

Teach Yourself Geometry by P. Abbott (Paul Abbott, B.A.), first published in March 1948 by Hodder & Stoughton for the English Universities Press, is a highly regarded classic introductory mathematics textbook. It was designed specifically for self-directed study as part of the iconic UK Teach Yourself series. 

Book Overview

• Author: P. Abbott (Percy Abbott, B.A.)
• First Published: March 1948 (1st Edition)
• Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton Ltd. / English Universities Press (London)
• Format & Dimensions: Typically a 16mo pocket-sized hardcover (approx. 12 × 18 × 2 cm) bound in the signature decorative blue cloth of the vintage Teach Yourself series.
• Length: Approximately 334–336 pages. 

Content & Teaching Style

The book is structured to take a student from the absolute fundamentals of shapes up to advanced geometric proofs. It is famously split into two core sections: 

1. Practical & Intuitive Geometry: Introduces the fundamental building blocks—lines, angles, triangles, scale drawings, and polygons—focusing on construction and practical application. 
2. Deductive & Theoretical Geometry: Transitioning to a strict, logical approach inspired by Euclid’s Elements. This section guides the reader through formal proofs, theorems, and the interconnected relationships of geometric properties, giving the student a clear “big picture” view of the subject.

Because it was explicitly written for home learners, it avoids overly complex academic jargon, opting instead for clear, conversational text, accessible step-by-step problem sets, and clean visual diagrams.

Legacy & Collectibility

The 1948 first edition remains a desirable volume for collectors of vintage educational books and the Teach Yourself library. It had an enduring legacy, influencing future math text designers due to its visual clarity, and was continuously revised and reprinted by Hodder & Stoughton well into the 1970s and 1980s

NOTE 1: Paul Abbott B.A. was a prominent mathematics educator and author best known for writing classic math textbooks in the “Teach Yourself” series. 

Background and Career

• Role: Formerly served as Head of the Mathematics Department and Head Master of the Secondary School at The Polytechnic, Regent Street, in London. 
• Publications: Authored benchmark educational texts including Teach Yourself Geometry, Teach Yourself Trigonometry, and Teach Yourself Calculus. 
• Legacy: His books have remained in print for decades, praised for their concise theorems, logical proofs, and visually clear diagrams.