There are probably lots of settler novels, but I found Vilhelm Moberg&#x27;s books the most captivating things I&#x27;ve ever read. They are largely based on some Swedish settlers&#x27; diaries from the 1800s in northern USA.<p>Bootstrapping from very modest means, but in a very rich land (climate, soil, water, forest etc). It took a while to reach equivalent standard of living compared to the Southern Sweden they left.<p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;The_Emigrants_%28novels%29" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;The_Emigrants_%28novels%29</a>