Local resident pens memoir
Those who enjoy memoirs have plenty from which to choose. Between “Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert, “The Last Lecture” by Randy Pausch, or “Bossypants” by Tina Fey, there are tons of memoirs about the good, bad and the even the funny. Moorestown resident Anna Goldfarb’s book, “Clearly, I Didn’t Think This Through,” is a humorous chronicle of Goldfarb’s life where she shares stories from dating to adulthood.
Her book is filled with her experiences throughout her life, describing herself as “a 6 foot 1 inch, barely employed, thirty-three-year-old Jewish woman” living with her parents.
Goldfarb recounts her adoration with dating shorter guys, her career and living situation.
Goldfarb is not a longtime resident of Moorestown. She moved back into her parents’ house in Moorestown a few years ago.
Her education consists of a degree from Bernard College in New York City, and a master’s in journalism from Temple University.
Goldfarb jokingly said a master’s in journalism sounded good at the time, but she had trouble finding a job after graduating.
In college, she said she was a “full-time spaz” until she moved to Philly.
“I was really scared of guys, and then I moved to Philly,” said Goldfarb. “I am a bit of a late bloomer.”
Before her awkward college days, she lived in East Greenbush, New York — a town just outside of Albany. Goldfarb and her family moved to Chicago when she was 13 years old.
Goldfarb wasn’t a fan of living in East Greenbush.
When they left New York for Chicago she said, “it was a … relief.”
“I didn’t even know how to brush my own hair, and I was over that town,” she said.
When she was 18, Goldfarb headed to New York City for college.
“I moved around so much and have been in so many different situations. I have a very fluid concept of home,” she said.
For three years Goldfarb called Moorestown home. She said she received some inspiration from the town.
“I really tried to inject local flavor when I was writing [my book]. I really do love living here. It’s a really beautiful place to live,” she said.
She said Moorestown is a great town to find places to write.
“I wrote my book in the Moorestown Library,” she said, adding Moorestown was a big influence on her book.
“Shmitten” for a dating blog
In 2008, and with few blogs about dating, Goldfarb decided to start her own. “Shmitten Kitten” is a “blog about dating for people who would probably never read a blog about dating,” according to Goldfarb’s blog description.
She said she wanted to start a blog that could be read like the conversations about men she has with her friends.
“I thought no one would read it,” said Goldfarb. “I thought no one is going to care. I have been completely stunned about how far I was able to take my blog.”
Her blog and her writing went as far as reaching international readership. From articles in Time Out — Sydney to a German site, she said she couldn’t believe how many followers her blog reached.
“I though it was a joke,” she said referring to the article written about her work in Germany, adding she had to use Google translate in order to read the article.
“I was so out of my Starbucks stool when I read it,” she said.
The method to her international success was something she did while meeting up with friends — just a casual, funny conversation about men.
“I just kept at it. I tired to crack myself up and I tried to crack my friends up,” she said.
As for Goldfarb’s book, she said laughter is the key to enjoying her work.
“If you like laughing you will like my book,” she said.
