Rating: 
Summary: Rumble in Harlem
Review: I loved The Contender! It was a great book to read. It thought it would be boring, but it turned out to be really good. The storyline starts out really smooth. Some stories start out with a lot of things missing. THis story tells every detail. This story is an inspiration to kids that get picked on, such as myself. I have read hundreds of books, but this book is in the top 50 of my favorite books.
Rating: 
Summary: The Greatest
Review: In the beginning of The Contender, I was not amazed. I wanted to read a book about slavery and hard times so that I could learn about my ancestors. Boxing is not something I really like and don't usually hear about. I really like basketball, baseball, kickball and other sports that people my age play. But as we got more and more into the book, I noticed that the book was about making the right choices in your life and hanging out with the right crowd. THe only part that was not good to me was when Alfred's friend gets on drugs. And when he takes money from ALfred to get a fix. If Alfred was ever jumped again by Major, Alfred would probably kill Major!
Rating: 
Summary: A Fight To The Finish
Review: He's a normal kid that was working at a small store. He gets beat up and gets in lots of trouble. I like the book because he learns, gets friends, loses one, and gets one back. He fights his hardest and proves he's a contender.
Rating:
Summary: A Knockout
Review: The Contender was a great book. The descriptions from Robert Lipsyte always kept me hooked on what was next after every event. I loved the in-depth coverage of the boxing. There were many lessons that I learned from the book. The main character, Alfred Brooks, attempted to pursue his own dreams ignoring racism and striving under all sorts of peer pressures from alcohol to drug addiction. He possessed a drive and determination to get away from the bad influences around him. He becomes very successful later in the book and his decision-making improves. With all the past bad mistakes that occurred to Alfred, it was time for him to rebuild his life. Thus, he goes to a gym to box. As a contender in boxing, Alfred finally challenged himself and was determined to be a champion. It was the first time Alfred had worked and tried to accomplish a goal. This book really inspired me to go out and try to accomplish the dreams that I have even though they may be far-fetched. This book was very interesting. I read it in less than a week because I was so intent in finishing the book. The Contender raised my level of awareness that nobody should stop believing that their dreams and accomplishments. I recommend this book for people of all ages and backgrounds to read. This book was well written and is something that everyone should read because it shows them to set their goals and to strive until they reach them. It was inspiring to read how a kid who was not given much, could make something out of his life and not succumb to the life of an underprivileged kid in a bad area. Alfred went against the odds and made something of himself. Anything is possible if a person believes in himself or herself and puts their mind to it.
Rating:
Summary: The Contender
Review: The Contender
By Robert Lipsyte Your life isn't as bad as you think, comparing it to Alfred's you're really like lucky. Alfred tries to avoid his bad friends because they all do drugs and commit crimes. His best friend James was thrown in jail for robbing a grocery store that Alfred works at. And some street kids are after him and blaming him for a crime they committed. In this dramatic action story you won't stop turning pages till your done with the book. Alfred is beaten by the street kids and now he fells weak, scared, and he fells as if he's nobody. So Alfred goes to Donatelli's gym the neighborhood-boxing club to train and be stronger. At the gym he trains to be a boxer. He tells Donatelli the man who runs the gym that he wants to be a somebody and a champion at boxing some day, Donatelli tells him that before you can be a champion, you have to be a contender. Donatelli also tells him that he must train hard every day at his gym, get a nutritious selection of food every day, and to get a good amount of sleep every night. Alfred begins training as soon as he possibly can. He is motivated to be boxing champion because he wants to have more street credit and to be a somebody. Alfred even starts to work better at the grocery store, which is his job. But one thing he doesn't understand is what Donatelli said. He said effort is what makes you a man, winning is just a reward. Alfred soon finds out what Donatelli means and now he fells stronger and he fells like a somebody finally. But he still wants to win and be a champion so he continues to train at the gym. Will Alfred claim the spot for champions or will he return to his old life but as a somebody. You will have to read The Contender to find out how this great story ends.
Rating:
Summary: The Contender
Review: The Contender The Contender is a great story of a "nobody" becoming a "somebody". If you read a boxing story this year I suggest you read The Contender. If you pass up a story like this you'll regret it for years and years. Alfred is a dropout living in the ghetto and works in a grocery store. His best friend James is starting to have major Drug problems and keeps asking Alfred for help. Al decides if he is ever going to become a "somebody" he needs to become a boxer. So he goes to his local gym and starts his training. Will Alfred ever become a boxer and will he help James overcome his drug addictions? If you want to find out you're going to have to read the book. This is truly an awesome book. So remember if you want a good thriller check out The Contender.
Rating: 
Summary: The Contender
Review: The Contender
By Robert Lypsyte Essay by Lonnie The Contender is an action story because it's about boxing. Alfred the main character he is trying to find out who he is because he thinks he's a nobody. His grocery store job is going nowhere. He got beat up for some thing he didn't do. He needs to make some major changes in his life.
He decides to go to a boxing gym so he can learn to protect himself. He wants to be a contender and box. The owner of the gym, Mr. Donatelli, says that if you don't try you're hardest he won't let you be a contender. Mr. Donatelli was training a guy for some time when he was in a boxing match he was getting hurt bad and losing. Mr. Donatelli called off the fight so he wouldn't get seriously hurt Mr. Donatelli is stern but a nice guy. Alfred had to get up early to run in the park and go to the gym on certain days of the week he wasn't missing school because he dropped out in high school. His best friend is a big drug addict. Alfred did do drugs but stopped. Mr. Donatelli lets Alfred become a contender. Will he become a champ?
Rating:
Summary: An Insripation
Review: I have just finished reading The Contender and I thought that it was a pretty interesting book. This book is about a boy who is a high school dropout trying to make it in this world by working and boxing, but there are obstacles in his way that he ends up overcoming and becomes a man. I was reading the book for my World Lit class, but as I started reading the book I started to get deeper and deeper into the book. It was very interesting and really easy to comprehend.
Before I read the book boxing was just another sport that people do but after I read the book I started to understand the dedication, training, and all of the effort that is put into it. The main character "Alfred" shows all of these things in his way to boxing.
He gets into boxing after he gets beaten up he goes walk around and sees the boxing gym that his friend worked at and decided to join. After getting a few pointers from the gym trainer the next day he starts to run at the park and starts to eat a healthy breakfast. Also after work he'll go to the gym and train a little and go watch some matches at the garden.
What I really liked about the book was when Alfred was in his first match. It was cool how he got in it. He was just in the locker room with Mr. Donatelli and for some reason they needed another boxer. Mr. Donatelli did not want him to fight, but Alfred's dedication to prove to himself that he could do it ended up winning and he got to fight. When he got in the ring he showed so much heart that even though the person he was fighting was bigger he did not back away. Even though he lost the match his dedication was so inspiring. I really recommend this book not only to people who like boxing, but anyone who just likes to read.
Rating:
Summary: The MAIN CONTENDER
Review: Robert Lipsyte's "The Contender" is a great book and makes you feel like your really there. In the book Alfred the main character is a troubled young man that is a high school dropout. Alfred lives in Harlem with his aunt Pearl, and works at a grocery store. Which is owned by the Epstein's, a wealthy Jewish family. Alfred's best friend James is into drugs, and robbing stores. His friend Henry told him about a gym called Donatelli's Gym. Alfred decided to see what he could do to become a boxer. Alfred then meets the owner of the gym Mr. Donetelli, who is a skilled and trained boxer. Mr. Donetelli wants to help Alfred figure out what he would like to do with his life. Donetelli said, "Everybody wants to be a champion. That's not enough. You have to start by wanting to be a contender..." Alfred would get out of bed every morning have a healthy breakfast next go off run for a while. Even while his Aunt Pearl asked where he was going each morning, he simply just said, "I'm going running". Aunt Pearl then figured out what Alfred was doing, and did not get mad because she wanted what was best for Alfred. Everyday Alfred is dedicated and runs everyday and goes to the gym to work out to try to become a Contender. Later on in the book Major pushed Alfred and others around roughly. Major has two buddies named Sonny and Hollis. In the rising action of the book Hollis and Sonny jumped and beat up Alfred. After that Major, Sonny, Hollis, and James go to rob Epstein store. When they are robbing the store the police came by and caught only James. All in all I really enjoyed this great book, which is great for teenagers. I thought the book was very inspirational and motivating.
Rating:
Summary: The Contender Review
Review: This story takes place in Harlem ,New York in the slums of the
projects. A young black male named Alfred Brooks faces peer
pressure, trust, and the desire to win. Alfred dropped out of high
school and start to work at the Epstiens. The Epstiens store is a
family business of a white, Jewish, and rich family. Alfred has
been best friends with James who is starting to hang around with
the wrong crowd. James is into drugs and alcohol. Alfred Brooks
has an aunt who took him in after his father left and his mother
died. He calls her Aunt Pearl. His friend Henry told him about a
gym called Donatelli's Gym. Alfred decided to see what he could
do to become a boxer. Once in the gym, Alfred meets Mr.
Donatelli who is the owner of the gym. Mr. Donatelli is a white
and experienced trainer in boxing. Mr. Donatelli helped Alfred to
discover his goal in life. Alfred will have to get up and run each
morning and eat healthy meals. Even though he knew it would be
tough he was up for the sacrifice and hard work. Alfred didn't
explain to Aunt Pearl his decision to become a boxer. Each
morning when she asked where he was going he just said "I'm
going running." Even after she found out that he was boxing she
didn't get mad because she remembered when her parents wouldn't
allow her to follow her dream. Major on the other hand bullied
Alfred and others around. Major has two sidekicks named Sonny
and Hollis. In the middle of the book Sonny and Hollis, along with
Major, jumped and beat Alfred. Major talked Sonny, Hollis, and
James into robbing the Epstiens store. The police came but only
one of them got caught in the robbery. Later on in the book the
suspense ends and we find out that James is the one that got
caught. Major haunts Alfred for the rest of the book. After three
ametuer fights in the ring Donatelli suggested that Alfred stop
boxing. Alfred took his advice and contemplated on what to do.
After talking to his cousin Jeff, Alfred decided to quit boxing and
go back to school and work with the children in the community.
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