Raymond Williams (1921-1988) was a social historian, critic and novelist. Born in Pandy, Williams wrote over twenty books and enjoyed a career in academia, holding a professorship in drama at Cambridge University between 1974 and 1983. His work, varying from novels to works of literary criticism such as Orwell (Modern Masters) (Flamingo, 1970) to political commentaries such as Culture and Society 1780-1950 (Columbia University Press, 1983), was often embedded in Wales and Welsh cultural themes. Five of his novels were set, or partly set in Wales, including Second Generation (Chatto & Windus, 1964), Loyalties (Chatto & Windus, 1985) and the semi-autobiographical fiction Border Country (Chatto & Windus, 1960), in which Williams memorably described Pandy.