The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife cover art

The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife

 Preview
Try Premium Plus free
1 credit a month to buy any audiobook in our entire collection.
Access to thousands of additional audiobooks and Originals from the Plus Catalogue.
Member-only deals & discounts.
Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife

By: Anna Johnston
Narrated by: Tim Carroll
Try Premium Plus free

Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $26.99

Buy Now for $26.99

About this listen

'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 and polished, with a full tank of petrol. The problem is, he has no one left to borrow from. At 82 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 cranky Bernard Greer at Wattle River Nursing Home. Suddenly he has a roof over his head, warm meals in his belly and, most importantly, the chance to be part of a family again.

Fingers crossed his poker face is in better nick than his prostate or the jig is up.

As Fred walks in Bernard's shoes (and underpants), he discovers more about the man's past - and what it would take to return a broken life to mint condition.

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

©2024 Anna Johnston (P)2024 Penguin Random House Australia Audio Family Life Genre Fiction Literature & Fiction Psychological Heartfelt Feel-Good Witty Tear-jerking

Critic Reviews

'An endearing story about an Aussie battler with a heart of gold. This book is like a big, warm hug - I couldn't get enough of Fred Fife and his borrowed life.' Kerryn Mayne, author of LENNY MARKS GETS AWAY WITH MURDER
All stars
Most relevant
Thought the narrator was perfect for the story. Didn’t expect to like it but I really, really did, I cried and loved the ending. It just makes you feel all warm and sentimental in an entirely different love story.

Tugged at the heartstrings

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
What an absolute delightfully fun and moving story. It made me laugh and cry the entire way

My favourite book this year

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
So heartfelt and real - I loved it. A joy to read. A great audio book.

Excellent novel

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Well written, great story with excellent narration. The liberal use of simile was a bit much at times but still didn’t
detract from my enjoyment of this listen.

Wonderful Characters and Tale

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Loved this story of adorable Frederick Fife, who has always done his best by everyone & has fallen on hard times, when a unique opportunity falls in his lap, to live someone else’s best life.

Great original story

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
There are many books out there that are lovely to read or listen to, but rarely do you come across a book that is able to combine “laugh out loud humour” with tender “tears rolling down your cheeks” emotion, portrayed by a cast of relatable and varied characters who experience the joys and heartache of living, losing and loving. I absolutely love the story and the characters, which on their own would make this audio book a worthwhile purchase, but the way the author paints a picture in words in her description of sights, sounds and sensations make the listening experience even richer.

A book you will love to listen to again and again

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I was recommend by a friend and LOVED it. Fred is incredible and the love, connections and character development was a joy to experience. thank you

what an incredible story!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This is one of the most delightful, lovely stories. I loved every minute. I highly recommend it. Beautifully narrated, amazing performance.

utterly delightful

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Thought I would take a chance on something deferent form my usual choice of genre and was not disappointed. This book is full of joy and happy sadness. The narration is brilliant and the book will have you in tears of laughter.

An amazing heartfelt story

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Took me a while to get into it - then hooked! laughed /cried(a lot!) and finished it feeling full of love and hope

Funny, poignant and full of heart

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.