Drawing from popular books, movies, comic strips and an abundance of management literature and business history, this surprising "secret history" shows how the white-collar world came to be, from the mid-19th century to today, and reveals what it might become.

The clerking class -- The birth of the office -- The white blouse revolution -- Inside the skyscraper -- Organization men and women -- Open plans -- Space invaders -- The office of the future -- The office and its ends.