Alfred Brooks is scared. He's a highschool dropout and his grocery store job is leading nowhere. His best friend is sinking further and further into drug addiction. Some street kids are after him for something he didn't even do. So Alfred begins going to Donatelli's Gym, a boxing club in Harlem that has trained champions. There he learns it's the effort, not the win, that makes the man -- that last desperate struggle to get back on your feet when you thought you were down for the count.

To find out what happens to Alfred, read The Contender


The Contender   June 3, 2000
 6 out of 7 found this review helpful

The story begins when a man named Alfred is waiting on his friend, James. James is a drug addict and has forgotton all about Alfred because he is getting fixed. When Alfred walks into the clubroom he tells about lose cash in the Epstiens' store. James and his friends try to break in. Like most crimes, the leader got caught, who is James. He was sent on probation and Alfred didn't see him again until later. As the story goes on, Alfred starts going to the gym. Soon after, he meets an old man by the name of Donatelli. Alfred starts training and before he knew it he had his first fight. He won his match and the next one after that. Then, Donatelli told him that he was not to fight the next match, but Alfred didn't give up. At the end of the fight the winner was declared that the opponent had won. Yet, in a way Alfred had also won. What I liked about the book was the variety of emotions that took place and I also liked the characters.


THE CONTENDER - Number 1   December 23, 2006
 4 out of 4 found this review helpful

Alfred Brooks, a teenager and a high-school dropout, knows that his life is going nowhere. He's had the same old job at a local grocery store, and there are no opportunities for advancement. He wants to be someone, someone special. When one of his best friends, James, starts hanging around with the wrong group of teens, and later is sent to prison for robbing Alfred's grocery store, Alfred knows that his friend's friends are not the kids to be with. To avoid being thrashed by James's possy, Major and Hollis, Alfred wants to defend himself. He doesn't want to be pushed around.

Alfred decides he wants to be a boxer, and begins his training at Donatelli's Gym, a gym that has turned out three champions. At first, Mr. Donatelli tried to dissuade Alfred from boxing, by telling him the many triffles he would have to go through to become a contender, but Alfred still wants to try. He runs in the morning, eats a select diet, and after work, he goes to the gym to work out.
For a long while, Alfred maintained his training. One night, however, Major and Hollis gang up on Alfred, and bring him to their clubroom. They keep Alfred there by telling him that James had just been let out of prison, and that he would stop by the club. While there, Alfred got drunk from vodka and got high from marijuanna, both of which he was unsuspectant of until James arrived. Before he blacked out, Alfred saw that James was fumbling with a bag of cocaine, and knew that his friend was sinking further and further in to drug addiction. Alfred was very spacey for the next few days.

Later, Alfred resumes his training, and then is fitted for a custom-mouthpiece. This is a sign that shows that Alfred is close to fighting. After three professional fights, Mr. Donatelli states that it is time for Alfred to stop. He has proved what he wanted, to be a fighter. Alfred then went back to night school to finish his education.

This novel is simply amazing! The book tells us that it is not the desire, but the effort to win that makes the man! This book is not just for sport lovers, but is for those who can comprehend the deep meaning of fighting and being a fighter!

ALSO RECOMMENDED - THE BRAVE - THE CHEIF - Both books in this order follow after The Contender






The Contender   February 23, 2000
 3 out of 3 found this review helpful

THE CONTENDER

The Contender was an interesting book. I would recommend this book to people who like to read about sports and people who do things to try and help other people out with their problems. Alfred Brooks was struggling and he quit High School. Then his friend James started doing drugs so Alfred knew he had to help him. So, Alfred stared to box even though he didn't like it. After awhile of being trained, Alfred was getting better at boxing and he started to enjoy it. Even though most of his friends and family members were trying to talk him out of it he never gave up.


The Contender   February 23, 2000
 3 out of 3 found this review helpful

I recently have read the book called the Contender. The book is about a african-american guy named Alfred. He lives in a apartment in the slums of Harlem, with his Aunt Pearl and cousins. Alfred's friends are in trouble with robberies at Epstein's and drugs. While all this is in effect, Alfred decides to become a boxer, and starts working out. He starts working out at a down-town gym called Donatelli's. He starts working out and becomes very good. Later Donatelli sets him up with other people to box. Alfred is a good boxer and enjoys it very much, but when his Aunt Pearl finds out she feels differently. And plenty of excitement and pain comes Alfred's way! I thought the novel was good, and I liked reading it. I liked how Alfred had to struggle to become so successful. It teaches other kids who read this book responsibilities, and how to succeed.