Write to fail

Syracuse University alumnus Aaron Goldfarb wrote a novel that serves the masochist in all of us.

The opposite of a self-help book, How to Fail: The Self-Hurt Guide, follows protagonist Stu Fish through failure after failure. Each chapter chronicles advice on situations such as "How to Fail to Make Your Parents Proud of You," "How to Get Usurped by Your Girlfriend's Ex," and "How to Acquire the STD That's Right for You."

Goldfarb, a graduate of the Television, Radio and Film program at S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, chatted with The NewsHouse about his book tour of 30 bars in 30 days -- including Chuck's Cafe -- and the ideas behind the self-hurt guide.