We hope as you enjoy your weekend you’ll also find some time to kick back and survey some of the best writing from around the web. This week we’re bringing you two nonfiction articles, and one humor piece from McSweeney’s.  Check them out. But don’t forget to head over to the Brandywine Strawberry Festival at some point.

• “Patagonia’s Anti-Growth Strategy, “, by J. B. Mackinnon, from The New Yorker.
  • Last month a van toured the country making sartorial repairs and selling used active wear. No, it wasn’t Goodwill or any other nonprofit. Behind the operation was Patagonia, and in the driver’s seat their philosophy of smart, responsible growth. And business is booming. The New Yorker profiles the eco-friendly retailer and finds out how they’re putting “value back in vogue” with their expensive, long-lasting wear.

• “What Makes the Lion Whisperer Roar?“, by Susan Orlean, from The Smithsonian Magazine.
  • As part of our continued “Weekend Reading” obsession with stories of people at work, we’re bringing you Susan Orlean’s look at one man who’s devoted himself to the world’s largest felines.

• “Let’s Take This Open Floor Plan to The Next Level“, by Kelsey Rexroat, from McSweeney’s.
  • “Since tearing down all of our walls, offices, and dividers in favor of one large, open room with rows of desks, we’ve received anecdotal reports that rather than fostering camaraderie and creative breakthroughs, the new space is “distracting” and “demoralizing.”

As always, please feel free to comment with responses to the Covered Bridge stories or suggestions of your own.

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