Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Cameron Crowe
First printing of Crowe's debut novel and basis for the 1982 film of the same name. At the age of 22, Crowe came up with the idea to pose undercover as a high school student to observe and document the American teenager in its native habitat. Prior to the book's release, it was optioned as a film with Crowe writing the screenplay. The film, which had essentially no marketing, became a sleeper hit and helped to launch the careers of some of its previously unknown actors, including Jennifer Jason Leigh, Eric Stoltz, Judge Reinhold, Phoebe Cates, Anthony Edwards, Nicolas Cage, Forest Whitaker and Sean Penn. The first edition hardcover, particularly in this condition, has become increasingly scarce.
New York: Simon and Schuster, 1981. A near fine copy in a near fine, unclipped dust jacket. Binding is tight, sturdy and square, appearing unread. Internally clean and free of any markings. Minor rubbing to board edges, spine tips lightly pushed, faint scattered foxing to bottom edge of text block. Jacket shows light edgewear with a few very tiny minuscule chips.