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'Sincere, heartfelt and laugh-out-loud...genuinely delightful...'

- The Australian

'Warm, life-affirming and endearing...'

- Better Reading

Books... 

Cover illustration of The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife
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Available now

Australia / New Zealand

PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUSTRALIA

Available September 10th

USA / Canada

HARPER COLLINS USA

The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife

‘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 that his poker face is in better nick than his prostate and that his lookalike never turns 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 hilarious and heart-stirring novel about forgiveness, redemption and finding family.

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'What a glorious story it is – I absolutely loved it! Anna has created a wonderfully diverse cast of funny, flawed, and completely relatable characters. It was an absolute joy to follow Fred on his poignant, hilarious and at times precarious journey.' 

Ruth Hogan

AUTHOR OF

THE KEEPER OF LOST THINGS

Praise & Reviews

'I adored this big-hearted novel. Tender, wise and laugh-out-loud funny, it is a tonic for the soul.' 

Joanna Nell

AUTHOR OF

MRS WINTERBOTTOM TAKES A GAP YEAR

'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

About Anna

Close up portrait of author Anna Johnston

Anna Johnston is a former baby, aspiring octogenarian and emerging Australian author with a love for the heartfelt and hilarious. She grew up in country Victoria before moving to Melbourne where she lives joyously with her husband and daughters by the beach. Anna left an imminent career in medicine to follow her heart into her grandfather’s nursing home where she became the social support coordinator, taking great delight in shaking up the usual program. When injury left her unable to continue working in aged care, she began to write about it, channelling her love for older people onto the page. Anna has enjoyed a lifelong passion for theatre, screenplay, travel, and creative writing.

Contact

CONTACT

For all enquiries please contact Anna's agent

Pippa Masson at Curtis Brown Australia.

pippa@curtisbrown.com.au

Get in touch

© 2024 by Anna Johnston

Images © Angelica James Photography

I acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which I live, work and play, paying respect to their elders and storytellers, past, present and emerging.

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