Tommy Wrought: A Musical Reflection Of Children With Special Needs - Softcover

Felton, Peter

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1519730144 ISBN 13: 9781519730145

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2015

Synopsis

Utilizing plot, character, and musical elements of The Who’s landmark Rock Opera Tommy, author-educator-lifelong Rocker Peter Felton addresses sensitive issues pertaining to the upbringing and social outlook of children of the 21st Century. Drawing upon biographical details of the original members of The Who, while reflecting upon notable experiences in his own personal and work lives, Felton makes a firm case as to the roots of hindrances to children’s learning and lifestyles in today’s modern world—with astounding comparisons to those of yesteryear. In an effort to convey a breakdown of the internal breakdowns of those suffering from such setbacks—resulting from the external blunders of their surroundings—and with the aid of in-depth analyses of the multi-angular lyrics belonging to the songs making up the score of Tommy, connections between disparate aspects of humanity old and young are successfully made, in hopes of securing a more stable foundation for future generations.

About this title

About the Author:

Peter Felton was born and raised in San Francisco, CA. A proud native of the City By The Bay, Felton's lifelong interest in San Francisco Bay Area public transportation was documented in his five-star first book, DAILY PUBLIC TRANSIT RIDERSHIP: THE INSIDE SCOOP (2012)--outlining contemporary (1970s-early 2010s) upgrades, milestones, routes, and the overall aura of the San Francisco Muni public transit system. Peter Felton’s life was changed forever at the age of ten when he encountered a three-way combination domestic-academic-social change upon his parents' divorce and him transferring schools that caused a startling shift in academic gears and uncomfortably rocked his social boat. Despite the life-defining change, Felton's interest in learning remained strong and after graduating high school, Felton elected to pursue a teaching career--earning his BA in Liberal Studies-Teacher Education in 2008. Bearing a deep interest in music of all genres, Felton's musicological explorations began at age ten upon discovering the glory, wonder, and depth of the music of the 1960s thanks to public television, the radio, local record stores, and most of all, his upbringing. At age 14, Felton made his most profound musical discovery of all time: legendary English Rock band, The Who. Eternally furthering Felton’s creative horizons as an adolescent, young adult, and working professional, The Who's wide-ranging repertoire continually provides Felton with increasing inspiration for using music as a regular teaching tool in his academic career working with a wide variety of students and disciplines. Putting the pedal to the metal in his teaching career in Fall 2008, Felton's professional claim-to-fames have included accomplished instruction in the following fields: United States & World Geography (Grades K-8), Physical Education (Grades K-8), Music & Movement (Grades K-8), Choreography & Interpretive Dance (experimentally pioneered in college, routinely integrated into different subjects in Grade K-8 general education since), Tutoring (Grades K-12, general ed. subjects), as well as highly-acclaimed substitute teaching in single-sex K-8 schools for each gender. Most recently, Felton's second book, TOMMY WROUGHT: A MUSICAL REFLECTION OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, provides readers of all descriptions with extensive comparative analyses between the outlooks of special-case children of today and yesterday--signified by the in-depth music of The Who's Rock Opera, Tommy.

Review:

Tommy Wrought: A Musical Reflection Of Children With Special Needs by Peter Felton is about how one man found a sense of identity and comfort through music, and the hope that others can do the same. The author relates his experiences with the painful effects of narrow societal definitions, particularly of common limiting terms like ADD, Bipolar Disorder, and Autism Spectrum. Yet he has also experienced the freedom that comes through music. Through a detailed examination of the rock opera Tommy, written by Pete Townshend of The Who, Felton draws a comparison between the damage and disunity caused by narrow expectations for present and former military, as depicted in the opera, and for children with diverse strengths and needs. Along the way he presents a healthy dose of WWII era history and other U.S. history. The book is organized into chapters that focus on main themes like politics, parenting, bullying, and technology, through which it examines Tommy and the author's own related experiences. The life and experience of the character Tommy are presented as moving, and the book displays a wide range of knowledge on topics from history to religion to education. The text's motivations, and its particular focus on Tommy, are unclear until the section called "Tommy Within The Author, His Life and Work" at the end of the book. There, Felton discusses the particular situations that have given him the same challenging thoughts and emotions as Tommy--challenges that were eased through the musical. The writing is full of passion and emotion. The intended or ideal audience could be other students who've struggled, other teachers who want to help, or people processing social trauma, such as returning veterans. The book is a compelling view of Felton's diligence and compassion as a teacher and a super fan of The Who. This is an impassioned look at how society constrains people, and music sets them free.                         --Foreword Clarion Reviews

Peter Felton has always had a passion for his home - the City By the Bay, and its public transportation system. A passion so strong that he ended up writing his first ever book about it. It documented everything from its initial outlines to upgrades to milestones to every single route all over the city. He has a degree in Liberal Studies. Felton is a man of diverse interests. Due to his immense interest in music, he became largely influence by the English Rock Band The Who. The band has been a big influence in his life ever since he discovered them and he has been using it as inspiration in his writing. Which is why his second book HAD to be musical. Tommy Wrought: A Musical Reflection Of Children With Special Needs uses musical elements from The Who's Rock Opera Tommy. Felton does extensively detailed accounts of all the members of the band, while creating a correlation between their backgrounds and how they have affected Felton's childhood, work life, and personal life, too. He explores the grounds and makes surprisingly concrete arguments about the obstacles which root and relate back to music - and how they affect children's learning processes. After he does that, he presents a comparison between those of previous times and the modern era - how they're different and the ways they're similar. He further goes on to explain how major influences from the surroundings play a solid role in inflicting suffering on the learner. He backs his arguments up with in-depth analyses of the lyrics and music of the Rock Opera Tommy - how the relation between various aspects of the old and young are formed, where they collide and where they differ. If you are a music fan right down to the little technicalities, you will enjoy this Peter Felton book.
--Serious Reading

A fascinating read that connects the lyrics of The Who's 'Tommy' to the struggles of special-case children of today and yesterday. Felton's book is academic but personal, relating many of his own experiences in work & life.--Amoeba Music

About this edition

• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 1519730144
• ISBN 13: 9781519730145
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 346