Peter Avery OBE, was born in Derby, England, in 1923. One of today's most eminent Persian scholars, he was for years Lecturer in Persian Studies in the University of Cambridge where he still lives. His works include A translation of The Ruba'iyat Of Omar Khayyam, with poet John Heath-Stubbs, and The Speech of the Birds, the Mantiqu't-tair of Faridu'd Din.