March Book Selection: The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnston

Our March Book Club Selection – The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnston

Note: Book club is usually the fourth Monday of the month. Please note, due to vacation, I'm holding this on the fifth Monday.

This was the voted on by the members of the group – the #3 choice! Location may change as we get cloder to this event. We are looking for a place that has good food yet is good for a book discussion.

About the Book:

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

A zany case of mistaken identity 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 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, at age eighty-two, there’s nobody left in Fred’s life to borrow from, and he's broke and on the brink of eviction. But Fred’s luck changes when he's mistaken for Bernard Greer, a missing resident at the local nursing home, and takes his place. Now Fred has warm meals in his belly and a roof over his head—as long as his look-alike Bernard 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.

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Publication Date: September 10, 2024

How To Get a Copy:
You can get a copy on your own (library, purchase, Libby, etc.) But I also have some books on hold at the Grayslake Library, 100 Library Lane, Grayslake, IL. They will be available about five weeks before book club.

• Bring your library card (from any library) and go to the checkout area.
• Tell them you are there to pick up a book for Lit Happens Book Club.
• They will register your card with Grayslake if your library is not part of their consortium and they will check out the book to you.
• There will only be limited copies available, so do not wait until the last minute.

Restaurant:
We will meet in their back room. They will provide us with separate checks so either have dinner or, at the least, appetizer or desert.