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Customer Reviews of The Contender

The Contender
First thing I want to say: Excellent book! I think Lipsyte did a wondrous job portraying a young, scared boy growing into a determined, mature man.
Alfred Brooks is scared. He is a high school dropout with a job at a grocery store that is going nowhere, and fast. His best friend is sinking more and more into drugs. The neighborhood thugs want him, to either beat him up or to join them. After one of these beatings, Alfred decides to start going to Donatelli's Gym, a boxing club in Harlem that is notorious for champions. While training, he learns from Donatelli that it's the effort, not the win, that makes the man. It's if you can be hit and hurt, but still struggle to stand on your feet when everyone thought you were done. I loved the book. I think it would make an excellent movie and should be done so soon.
While reading this book I was inspired to start working out and feel better about myself. After reading this book I understood the importance of determination, discipline, and dedication when trying for your goals. I learned that if you have what it takes to become a contender, then you can do anything you want to.

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The Contender
This book is about Alfred Brooks. He is a high school dropout and doesn't know what to do with his life. His mom died and he is living with his Aunt Pearl. He works at Epstein's Grocery Store which is owned by 3 Epstein brothers. Alfred hangs out with people that want to break into the store. Alfred doesn't tell them that there is a silent alarm in the store. His best friend James gets caught and the others don't trust him anymore. He goes to Donatelli's gym to workout and he goes there every chance he can. He finds out that Lou Epstein used to be a great boxer. Alfred learns how to box and gets a chance to fight. Will Alfred win the fight? Will he continue boxing? What will happen next? Find out by reading The Contender.
I liked this book because the good descriptions made it easy to imagine the people. You could also tell how Alfred felt at every point in the book. For example before he was going to fight in a match his stomach felt like an "ice ball". The sounds you could imagine too. "When Alfred was hitting the peanut bag it sounded like a machine gun". The one thing I didn't like about it is the way the city was described. There wasn't enough detail to imagine it. All I knew was that it took place in Harlem. I don't think that the author should just assume that people know what Harlem looks like. I read other books that took place in Harlem and the author described it much better.

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Alfred and His Problems
I read the book THE CONTENDER by Robert Lipsyte. I really enjoyed the book because it's not really long nor hard to understand. The book is really action packed and keeps you wanting to read it more and more. The main character is Alfred. Alfred's conflict is that his best friend James want's him to go to the store he works at and help him break in so they can steal. The place Alfred works is at the supermarket that James wants to rob. Alfred gets jumped on the way home from the supermarket one night by one of James' friends who wanted help to rob the store.After Alfred gets jumped he decides that he wants to take boxing lessons. Alfred goes to the gym to see what it was like and tries to walk out but Mr.Donatellie stops him. Alfred decides to give boxing lessons a try and doesn't realize how much work it would really be. If you want to know more I recommend that you read the book THE CONTENDER.