Let’s talk about a book name The Contender (1967) by Robert Lipsyte it’s about self-improvement and self-courage. This book is a fiction meaning not true. Robert Lipsyte parents were teachers. So he just spends his free time reading and writing because he appreciated it. So one day Mr. Lipsyte went to see a boxing game and in their opinion it was inspiring and fun. Therefor the story is about a guy name Albert who is trying to do the right thing but everything just kind of messes up. But later in the story he is going to learn boxing and basically start a new life. But there was a twist that flipped the whole story up. The setting in the story is in the modern times of 1970’s in the New York City. In which there was a lot of bad thing going on. And yes the author make me feel like I am a part of a story because he tell me thing like as if I am next to him and thing that only friends share with friends. Due to that if I close my eyes I can visualize it and become a part of it. And so in the book there are many main characters including Alfred, James, Aunt Pearl, Major, and Dr Dontellie. In which James is Alfred’s friend and aunt pearl is Alfred aunt and major and Dr Dontellie were just Alfred’s friend. This story is about how Alfred is working in a grocery store and James tells Alfred to help him rob the grocery store. And so Alfred refuses but they force him into it. And then James got caught because of the new alarm system. There later major beat Alfred for not telling them about the new alarm system. The book was interesting yet inspiring because it was about self-courage which is lacking in today’s world. Yet inspiring because after getting beat he did not give up on life he faced it and did not give up. In the story I agree with the self-improvement and self-courage because in today’s world as far as I know it’s been messy and hard to deal with. Because you have pressures from all over attacking you and so Alfred did not give up is what I liked and agree with in the story. But I also disagree with the part of robing the store and beating up Alfred because it was not his faults that James got caught and Alfred forget the new Alarm system. So there should be no reason for major to beat Alfred up because he did not remember about the new system because in the first place you should not go robing other people’s stores for money you should earn it not steal it. So the possibility the book gives is not to rob a store and stay on the right track. So this book is not like other books because it is supporting yet helpful to stay on the right track. Due to this the book affected me because it made me have self-courage and self-improvement to what i do and inspire to keep going and never give up. So overall the book was great to read and the way it was written made me feel that this is what a great book looks like and it inspired me to read more and more. So overall I rate this book 8/10 because of its wonderful story and the story plot which was great and made me feel as a part of the story. There for this story inspired me not to give up in any situation.