The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife Audiobook By Anna Johnston cover art

The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife

A Novel

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The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife

By: Anna Johnston
Narrated by: Tim Carroll
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About this listen

A zany case of mistaken identity allows a lonely old man one last chance to be part of a family in this warm, life-affirming debut novel.

“A funny, heartfelt story about found family and seeing the silver lining in life. Fans of Fredrik Backman’s A Man Called Ove and Shelby Van Pelt’s Remarkably Bright Creatures will especially enjoy this new novel.”—Library Journal

“Would you mind terribly, old boy, if I borrowed the rest of your life? I promise I’ll take excellent care of it.”

Frederick Fife was born with an extra helping of kindness in his heart. If he borrowed your car, he’d return it washed with a full tank of gas. The problem is there’s nobody left in Fred’s life to borrow from. At eighty-two, he’s desperately lonely, broke, and on the brink of homelessness.

But Fred’s 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 head—as 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.

As Fred walks in Bernard’s shoes, he leaves a trail of kindness behind him, fueling Denise's suspicions about his true identity. When unexpected truths are revealed, Fred and Denise rediscover their sense of purpose and learn how to return a broken life to mint condition.

Bittersweet and remarkably perceptive, The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife is a hilarious, feel-good, clever novel about grief, forgiveness, redemption, and finding family.

©2024 Anna Johnston (P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers
Family Life Friendship Genre Fiction Literature & Fiction World Literature Marriage Funny Witty Heartfelt Feel-Good Tearjerking

What listeners say about The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife

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Great creative story!

Quite a lovely, interesting story. The characters were rich and totally believable. I did not miss the red herring!

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3 people found this helpful

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Great and uplifting story!

loved it all! Great from beginning to the end! Fun and surprising. Lots of twists and turns.

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Endearing characters and poignant story

Lovely, humorous and poignant tale of a case of mistaken identity set mostly in an Australian retirement home. A bit repetitive at times. I appreciated the spotlight on older adults and their wisdom, dignity, and capacity for love and humor.

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An Inspiration

I loved the authenticity of the characters’ traits. I’m inspired to always live others like feed did and be the froth on their cappuccinos. It’s a beautiful story.

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Love, Love, Loved This Story

So much I loved about this story. Heartfelt, sweet, funny, sad, happy. And certainly comes with a powerful message. The narrator was a delight. Enjoyed the accent, and all the sayings snd expressions new to me. The story is uplifting and inspiring. Oh that everyone could have a Fred in their lives.

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Wonderful book made more so by a perfect narration

This was a heartwarming story made even more pleasurable to read by a spot on narration.

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Wow

Slow start but what a wonderful story and satisfying end. Good in the world does exist!

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Loved

Such a great listen! Feel good, funny, sad, heartwarming. Definitely a top listen out of multiple hundreds of Audible books.

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Highly recommend

This is a sweet book full of happiness and smiles. Although, I literally cried at one point. I think we all have some of Frederick Fife in us.

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Excellent, Excellent!

This book is extraordinary! I loved everything about it. It was realistic, heartwarming, and had a moving plot that kept you fully engaged. Be prepared to turn your heart over to Fred as you borrow his life.

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