A review by jcschildbach
Fast Times at Ridgemont High by Cameron Crowe

3.0

So, I knew the movie was based on a book by Cameron Crowe, but it never occurred to me to look for the book. My daughter checked it out from the library and I read it when she was done. Having seen the movie numerous times over the decades since its release, it's nearly impossible not to see and hear the characters as they are in the movie. It's fun to read through some of the material that didn't make the movie and to note how the material evolved from novel to screen, but the bulk of the writing is more utilitarian than engrossing. Much like the movie, the book comes across as a series of scenes involving some minimally-defined characters rather than a coherent story with strong character development.