"The Fortunate Calamity" tells the story of a young woman named Nancy Olden, who is forced to take on the responsibility of supporting her family after her father's death. She decides to become a nurse, but her lack of experience and her difficult patients lead her to question her decision. Along the way, Nancy learns valuable life lessons and discovers the importance of faith and perseverance."The Fortunate Calamity" was written by Alden in her later years and reflects her own experiences as a nurse and missionary. The novel is known for its uplifting themes of perseverance and faith in the face of adversity, and for its vivid descriptions of life in early 20th-century America.