The Contender by Robert Lipstye

Lipstye, Robert. The Contender. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 1967. ISBN-10: 0-06-023920-4

Summary 
Alfred Brooks is a 17 year old high school drop out in Harlem. His best friend James has started hanging around not working and not going to school. After Alfred refuses to help James and some other guys with a robbery and they threaten him, Alfred decides to join a boxing gym. Mr. Donatelli, the gym's manager says that before he can even think about being a champion, he needs to be a contender. As part of his training, Alfred runs every morning, eats healthy, works hard at his job, works out at the gym and goes to bed early. He doesn't have time to mess up. Meanwhile, James, who had he had looked up to, has started using drugs. When Alfred gets into the ring, he finds that he doesn't have the heart to hurt other guys, but at least he knows he was a contender. And if he can be a contender in boxing he can be a contender in anything we works at.


Critical Evaluation 
Alfred finds that being successful in boxing is like being successful in life. In fact, as Alfred trains at the gym, his boss comments that he is working quicker and wants to give him more responsibility. His trainer always tells him that no one is going to give him anything. So Alfred sets about working. You have to earn your place as a contender before you can even try for the championship. Lipstye writes lovingly about working out, showing the burn of muscles and the pride pushing on. Alfred's relationship with boxing is about personal accomplishment not competition. A great story.

Reader's Annotation 
Before you can be a champion, you have to be a contender.

Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness
Overcoming adversity, especially for African Americans.

Genre and Subject 
Realistic fiction, coming of age, boxing, African American interest.

Why I read it
Lipstye's prose transports readers completely. Read this book and you will believe that you can be a contender.