Raymond Williams is widely acknowledged to be one of the most original and influential thinkers of the post-war era. He wrote extensively across a wide range of subjects: from drama and the novel to politics, popular culture and mass communications. He was also a major novelist, well-known for books such as Border Country and Second Generation.

This volume of new and original essays, edited and introduced by Terry Eagleton, provides a critical appreciation of Raymond Williams' writings by those best acquainted with his work. Among the contributions are essays on Williams's work as a literary critic, as a student of popular culture, as a novelist and as an analyst of contemporary politics and society.