Novels about resourceful people making things happen

[fivetriangulartrees]

I love stories where someone creates or achieves something through being resourceful - and the book tells you how they do it in replicable detail, so you believe it's truly possible. I'd love to find more to read like that. Can anyone recommend something that fits the bill?

The only examples I can think of right now are:

The Swish of the Curtain - children put on a show and have to sort out all the little creative and admin details to make it happen.

The Martian - astronaut figures out how to survive on Mars until he's rescued.

Similar, but not quite what I mean, is the Freeman Wills Crofts novels, where Inspector French plods through every bit of mundane information, like alterations to train timetables, to solve a case.

Three Women in a Boat.

Donna Leon's Inspector Brunetti series.

The Enchanted April.

I Capture the Castle.

Hamnet springs to mind - a lot of detail about life in the 16th/17th century, tending the herb garden etc.

I've just read Aurora by David Koepp. It's about how a woman and her stepson, and their neighbours, pull together to learn how to live without electricity after a massive solar storm fries pretty much all the electricity systems on earth.

Shantaram by Gregory David Robers. One of my all time classics!

Maybe not quite what you are looking for, as its more about someone taking chances, fate and simply luck with a good dose of humanity.

Party Frock, Noel Streatfield. Family of children put on a pageant that ends up involving the entire village and a local American air base too (very end of WW2).

There's quite a lot of this satisfying stuff in the Swallows and Amazons series too. Pigeon Post and Winter Holiday come to mind.

I haven’t read The Swish of the Curtain but it sounds similar to Noel Streatfeild’s Party Shoes where a group of children organise a historical pageant.

Also A Dolls House and Miss Happiness & Miss Flower where children restore or make dolls houses. I think the second one even includes instructions in some editions!

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g Snap 🤣

A Town Like Alice - especially in the second part when the heroine sets out to create a town like Alice (Springs)

The Little House on the Prairie books

Thanks - there are some great suggestions here. And @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g you're right, "satisfying" is the word.

The Swiss family Robinson.

Mrs Benson's Beetle. I think she has luck on her side too though!

If you liked The Martian you should read Project Hail Mary

Also The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell

Cold Comfort Farm

If you like putting on a play themes, several of Antonia Forest’s school stories have convincing, detailed accounts of school plays — the first one, Autumn Term, has a no-hoper class pull off a brilliant adaptation of The Prince and the Pauper.

For resourceful, Connie Willis’ The Doomsday Book — time-travel is an academic pursuit. A resourceful, plucky undergraduate gets trapped in the Black Death and copes admirably.

Cold Comfort Farm is a great suggestion. Flora's a one woman revolution.

Thanks so much for all the suggestions. Can't wait to finish my current book and start on some of these.

On the Rumer Goden line ‘in this house of Brede’ is about an older women who becomes a nun in an enclosed order. Fascinating level of detail about life in a convent and all the petty niggles and issues. It does come with a bit of a trigger warning of upsetting content at the end but really brilliant book

Cold Comfort Farm every time! My go-to when in need of good cheer. Flora Poste is a delightful heroine, full of common sense and drive.

Lolly Willows is also a lovely read - middle aged woman rebels and finds her witchy side!

If you’re thinking of the section involving the child, I find that impossible to reread.

You might like this one: teenage girls starting a b&b and solving a murder in WW1 English village.
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07HY2LVRP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_b6JuFbHZ138VE

Gone with the Wind

Something about Scarlett's grit and tenacity stayed with me as a got through my years as a single mum to two tiny children, juggling their needs with trying rebuild my life (after abuse) and climb the career ladder.

An oldie but excellent nevertheless, and fits your brief: A Woman of Substance , Barbara Taylor Bradford.

Already mentioned, but my first thought was ‘Gone With The Wind’.
Also ‘In This House of Brede’ I agree is fascinating.

I was about to mention this one. It was one of my favourite books when I was younger. I admired Emma and how she was able to improve her life and build a business. I loved the detail in it.