David Cairns weaves a brilliantly engaging narrative which puts Mozart’s operas in the context of his life, showing how they illuminate his creativity as a whole. Mozart’s unusual childhood as a musical prodigy touring Europe as a performer from an early age is well known. But even more remarkable is that the genius grew up, surviving his unnatural early years and producing works of increasing maturity and originality. Using the operas as his guide, Cairns traces the steady deepening of Mo...

Based on exploratory research with students and graduates conducted in Armenia and its diaspora during summer 2018, Cairns and Sargsyan provide insight into some of the challenges involved in moving abroad, focusing on three different destinations: Russia, the United States and the European Union. Additionally, Student and Graduate Mobility in Armenia considers issues that have an impact on life chances for highly qualified young people who wish to remain in Armenia, including per...

This book takes an in-depth look at the European Commission’s Erasmus programme. In its current Erasmus+ format, the programme supports international exchange visits among students, trainees, volunteers and academic members of staff with a view to enhancing employability and encouraging intercultural understanding. Against the backdrop of the 30th anniversary of Erasmus, the authors explore the successes of the programme, most prominently the undergraduate exchange programme, as well as ar...

Is it really possible that you have stumbled across a secret lost for centuries? A secret that that could change the world order?From the bustling gold rush and the streets of Melbourne in 1864 to the ancient city of Edinburgh in Scotland, three friends flee from a secret society out for revenge, only to find themselves at the centre of a swirling modern-day Jacobite plot and a 'stop at nothing' British Secret Service.Major Findo Gask and his Sherlockian friend, Errol Rait,...

2023 Readers Choice Book Awards FinalistThe case of the emigrant niece is a captivating historical fiction novel by David Cairns, set in the 1800s and spanning Australia, London, Glasgow, Edinburgh, and the Scottish Highlands. Written in the first – person point of view, from the perspective of Major Findo Gask, the book follows his journey as he builds a new life for himself in Melbourne and partners with his friend, Errol Rait, in a fraud investigation.The novel is a work...

How would you respond if your death sentence was commuted to life on an island prison half a world away?Robert Bright and Mary Ann Goulding are beginning life on the island prison of Van Diemen's Land, serving their sentences under the strict control of a martinet Governor. Two real people caught up in the hopelessness of an unequal, class-ridden society who fight back as the new nation of Australia is forged.The Helots' Tale, Redemption – is part II of a deeply-researched ...

In the sun-drenched summer of 1853, the Australian colonies reverberated with the echoes of an audacious heist that would leave a nation both stunned and intrigued. It was a daring robbery, one that defied the very fabric of law and order, as a fortune in gleaming gold, freshly plucked from the rich, sprawling fields of the gold rush, was snatched away in a violent ambush. The stage was set for an epic manhunt, one that would ignite the imaginations of all who heard the tale.As wor...

A true story. In 1853, Australia was rocked by the robbery of £6,000 of gold from an escorted shipment on a country road heading from the McIvor gold fields to Melbourne, Within days, 400 men were searching the bush for the audacious bushrangers who numbered between 6 and 15 depending on who was telling the story. Despite aboriginal trackers and extensive searches, they could not be found. The full weight of the constabulary was thrown behind the case and a round up of possible suspects be...

This is a deeply-researched true story, a narrative that is etched into the very foundation of a nation. It is a tale of survival against fearsome odds, of how two lost souls fought back against a system that sought to crush them..We begin in the shadowy alleys of early 19th century London, where the smog hung heavy and the weight of injustice and inequality pressed down upon the disenfranchised. The grim reality of the slums intertwined with the harsh conditions of rural England c...

The #1 guide to understanding the "why and how" of fly-by-wire flight control systems. This book is an approachable and easily understandable must-read for aviation professionals!Why don't new aircraft designs allow the pilots a mechanical control connection? This book explains how fly-by-wire fixes the top 5 problems with mechanical controls for high performance aircraft. Rather than describe a particular aircraft’s design with confusing acronyms,...

The #1 guide to understanding the "why and how" of fly-by-wire flight control systems. This book is an approachable and easily understandable must-read for aviation professionals!Why don't new aircraft designs allow the pilots a mechanical control connection? This book explains how fly-by-wire fixes the top 5 problems with mechanical controls for high performance aircraft. Rather than describe a particular aircraft's design with confusing acronyms,...

Hector Berlioz was one of the most significant artistic figures of the nineteenth century. Intended for medicine, he turned instead to music and became one of its most original composers. His first major work, the semi-autobiographical Symphonie Fantastique, revolutionised the sound of the orchestra and its use in storytelling. Unhappy with the quality of performance of his works he took up the baton himself and became a great conductor, celebrated across Europe and in Russia. Requiring la...