About 60 percent of Americans work in cubicles, and 93 percent of those dislike them.

How did that happen? Nikil Saval, a shrewd, entertaining and highly informed student of the modern American workplace, supplies the answers.

An editor of the literary and cultural magazine n+1, Saval will present Cubed: The Secret History of the Workplace on September 14 at Elmhurst College.

Saval’s 2014 book Cubed: A Secret History of the Workplace reveals the surprising story of the places where most of our work gets done. From the days of the steno pool to today’s open-plan cubicle farms, Cubed chronicles the evolution of the American office by exploring some of the forces that have shaped white-collar work, including architecture, philosophy, class strife, the women’s movement and technological advances.

The Washington Post calls Cubed “a fascinating guide to the intellectual history of the American office. Part cultural history, part architectural analysis and part management theory—with some labor economics, gender studies and pop culture thrown in for good measure—the book is a smart look at the evolution of the place where we spend so much of our lives.”

Saval’s talk will begin at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 14, in the Founders Lounge of the Frick Center. A book-signing will follow the lecture. Admission is $10 for the general public and free for Elmhurst College students, faculty, staff and alumni. Tickets are available online or at the door, depending on availability. For more information, call (630) 617-3390.