Rating: 
Summary: A Five Star Winner
Review: This was a wonderful tale, that really made you think about the way you looked at things. Although, a very seriouse book, it teaches us that it is ok to be afraid and that if we work hard and really focus on our goals we can achieve them. I say, "Bravo," to Lipsyte for his amzing story. I would recommend this book to any to people between the ages of 12 and 100. Although, the story is about a younge man around the age of 15, this story applies to people of all ages.
Rating: 
Summary: More than a book about sports
Review: Alfred is growing up in a tough part of town. He has dropped out of school, he is working at a dead end job, his best friend, Jim, has forgotten him and is running with a mean crowd, and the local bullies are out to get him. Alfred is going no where fast. In his search to find meaning in his life he stumbles upon a boxing gym. Alfred trains hard to become a boxer. In his fight to contend he not only learns how to be a boxer but he learns how to take control of his own life.
This is a great book for children between the ages of eight and fourteen. It is an easy read, yet it captivated me by the great character descriptions. The thing I liked most was that it wasn't just another sports book, it focused on such important characteristics like: determination, disipline, dedication, goals, and overcoming your own fears. It showed that it is the effort, not the winning that makes a man. It is inspiring and can help our children realize the amazing potential that they have.
Rating: 
Summary: The Contender
Review: The Contender is a book about boxing that seems it will never end because you don't want it to. It is one of those books that the plot is not very good but the way the author puts the words together makes you want to read on. I do not enjoy boxing at all so that may be the reason I did not enjoy the book.
Lipsyte brings the characters to life as you are reading and you can imagine the problems the characters are going through. He is a great author.
The Contender takes place in Harlem when racism was a problem. Alfred, an African American, wants to become a boxer to make his friend James proud so he will stop doing drugs. The plot is not very intriguing but with Lipsyte's style it is interesting. If you like boxing I recommend it!
Rating:
Summary: This one runs with the best
Review: This book is a great read for anyone mature enough to handle it. Alfred's struggle to understand the world around him delights the reader. With his best friend in jail, and running from the town bully, Alfred searches for his place in the dark, segregated times in Harlem in the 1960's. Somehow Alfred winds up in a new territory in the ring. Boxing leads Alfred away from the troubles of Harlem and into the world of pain and suffering under new circumstances. The book shows how Alfred strives to be a contender, something everyone should take away from this book. This book is truly a masterpiece that should be enjoyed by adolescent and adult alike.
Rating:
Summary: The Contender
Review: The Contenderis about a kid named Alfred, who has problems with his friends.He struggles through drugs,robberies and many other things.During these things he takes up boxing.His manager,Mr.donatelli lives in the gym.The whole book is well written with lots of elaboration.My favorite part is when Alfred is fighting Griffin.I would recommend this to boxing fans or just sports fans.I think the main idea of this book is that you can do anything if you put your mind to it.
Rating:
Summary: the contender
Review: The Contender I would give this book a 5, because the character is a nice boy and is tired of getting pushed around by this big buff boy. He is a fighting boy, because he fights the buff boy even though the guy is tough. I also like the character because he joined a boxing club and the boxing club he gets hurt but he still tries and tries.
This book is about a boy working for white people and saying they are nice. One day these boys and Alfred's best friend told him that they were going to rob the place where he works. When they do get robbed they are saved because of the new alarm.
I like this book because the main character was fighting for what he wanted to do. The setting was good because it describes what kind of environment Alfred live in. it was interesting because Alfred wanted to be a boxer and he worked for white people that were nice to him. The book is also good because kids can read this book and be whatever they want to be.
Rating:
Summary: The Contender
Review: i THOUGHT THAT THIS BOOK WAS GREAT, I HAVE A BROTHER AND HE IS A HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT LIKE aLFRED, READING THIS BOOK ENCOURAGED HIM TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL, AND HE DID SO I AM REALLY THANKFUL TO ROBERT LIPSYTE FOR HIM WRITING THIS BOOK TO ENCOURAGE OTHER DROPOUTS TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL, THIS BOOK ALSO TOUCHED ME BECAUE IT WAS GREAT TO READABOUT THIS KIND OF STORY.
Rating:
Summary: My Review
Review: This book is a ok book. It is not the greatest book in the world but it does tell a good story. It tells how a kid from the projects learns how to box a gets his parents the new place they always dreamed about. The story was good it wasn't a very hard or long read. I might tell someone to read this book if they where bored or didn't have nothing to do. Other then not being long or a challenging read it was a good book.
Rating:
Summary: The Contender
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: The Contender review
Review: This story is about a high school dropout named Alfred, who boxes to help his friend James, who is hooked on drugs. He works for a supermarket, which his friend James always tries to rob. So he begins to box at Donatelli's gym. That's where Alfred learns what hard work and dedication is. His family doesn't want him to box, but Alfred doesn't quit. Throughout the book Alfred has to deal with pure pressure, and getting beat up all the time. But in the end it makes him a stronger person.
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