Esmail Kho'i, born in 1938 in Mashhad, grew up in Iran and received his education in Iran and England. Initially, he taught philosophy in his homeland. In the 1960s and 70s, he opposed the Shah regime and became an advocate for revolutionary changes in his country. After the Iranian Revolution of 1979, he faced an even more repressive regime and spent nearly two years underground before he had to flee his homeland. Kho'i has published more than 30 books in Persian, which have been translated into several languages. He currently lives in London, where he dedicates his time to poetry, philosophy, and political activism.