HOW NOT TO LEAD A DOUBLE LIFE: Confessions of an Unapologetic Outcast, the debut book by Ola Labib, is published in hardback, ebook and audio today.
The memoir draws on Ola Labib’s childhood growing up as a Sudanese middle child to two strict but loving parents who believed they knew what was best for her. While their intentions came from care and protection, Ola eventually realised that the life planned for her did not fully reflect who she was. Determined to understand herself beyond those expectations, she began a journey of self-discovery.
Raised alongside two brothers who were held to different standards, Ola also grew up in a very English seaside town. Navigating these worlds left her feeling as though she was living a double life - never quite Sudanese enough for her family and community, yet never “British enough” to fully belong in the world around her.
Ola Labib said: “Growing up as the only Sudanese hijabi Muslim in a very English seaside town made me feel like I was caught between two worlds. At home, I was expected to be the perfect Sudanese daughter for my family and community. Outside, I tried to be ‘British enough’ to fit in at school, university and work. The truth is, I never quite knew how to do both and when I did try - it would sometimes end badly.
“My parents believed they were protecting me by shielding me from parts of “English culture” and in many ways they were both right and wrong. I was raised on the immigrant dream: get a good education, build a respectable career, and make your family proud. I did exactly that, becoming a successful, high-achieving pharmacist. But deep down I felt that something huge was missing.
“Life had other plans for me - from secretly performing stand-up comedy gigs, to falling in love with a rapper, to eventually becoming the first Sudanese woman to perform stand-up comedy at The O2.
“This book is a story about self-discovery: about finding your purpose, learning to live for yourself even when it risks your parents’ disapproval, and still longing for their support because - every immigrant child grows up hearing that their parents sacrificed everything for their future. Even when love and tradition clash, there is still room for laughter, growth and belonging.”
Buy HOW NOT TO LEAD A DOUBLE LIFE: Confessions of an Unapologetic Outcast here.
