The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife

(Paperback, Large Print Edition)

Available Formats

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

For readers of Remarkably Bright Creatures and The Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, a warm, life-affirming debut about a zany case of mistaken identity that allows a lonely old man one last chance to be part of a family.

Would you mind terribly, old boy, if I borrowed the rest of your life I promise Ill take excellent care of it.

Frederick Fife was born with an extra helping of kindness in his heart. If he borrowed your car, hed return it washed with a full tank of gas. The problem is theres nobody left in Freds life to borrow from. At eighty-two, hes desperately lonely, broke, and on the brink of homelessness. But Freds luck changes when, in a bizarre case of mistaken identity, he takes the place of grumpy Bernard Greer at the local nursing home. Now he has warm meals in his belly and a roof over his headas long as his poker face is in better shape than his prostate and that his look-alike never turns up. 

Denise Simms is stuck breathing the same disappointing air again and again. A middle-aged mom and caregiver at Bernard's facility, her crumbling marriage and daughter's health concerns are suffocating her joy for life. Wounded by her two-faced husband, she vows never to let a man deceive her again.

Reviews

"Johnson crafts a poignant tale of second chances and the lies we tell.... This touching narrative explores themes of community, family, and the redemptive power of new beginnings, illustrating the impact of past choices and the potential for personal transformation." -- Booklist (starred review)

"A sweet story of mistaken identity and second chances.... Johnston places the painful realities of grief and aging alongside Fred's puckish antics and lands a convincingly hopeful ending. The result is a triumphant last act story." -- Publishers Weekly

"Warm, witty and heartfelt, Frederik Fife is a loveable character you'll want to cheer on from your armchair. This is a sweet, touching life-swap adventure you won't want to miss." -- Phaedra Patrick, bestselling author of The Messy Lives of Book people

"Anna Johnston has created a wonderfully diverse cast of funny, flawed, and completely relatable characters, and she tells their stories with humor, honesty, and compassion. Fred is one of life's unsung heroes--a loveable rogue with a big heart for whom kindness towards others comes as naturally as breathing--and I was rooting for him from the start. It was an absolute joy to follow him on his poignant, hilarious and at times precarious journey to find the happy ending that he so richly deserved. What a glorious story, I absolutely loved it!" -- Ruth Hogan, bestselling author of The Keeper of Lost Things

"I was completely swept away by Anna Johnston's charming and clever debut. Frederick Fife is an easy character to root for, someone warm and a touch mischievous, who can't help but improve the lives of those around him. A life-affirming and hilarious tale of mistaken identity, The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife insists that it's never too late for a second chance." -- Amy Meyerson, bestselling author of The Bookshop of Yesterdays

"Anna Johnson's funny and moving debut had me hooked from the first page. Fred is truly someone to root for, and with a cast of quirky characters at his side, this is the warm hug of a novel we all need in our lives." -- Richard Roper, author of Something to Live For

Author Bio

Anna Johnston lives in Melbourne with her husband and daughters. The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife is her first novel.