Raymond Queneau was a French novelist, poet, critic, editor, and co-founder and president of Oulipo (Ouvroir de littérature potentielle), notable for his wit and cynical humour. Born in Le Havre, he moved to Paris at the age of 17 and briefly joined André Breton's Surrealist group before leaving due to ideological differences. Queneau's work is known for its deliberate and painstakingly detailed construction, contrary to the spontaneous style of the Surrealists. He served as the director of the Encyclopédie de la Pléiade and was a member of the Collège de 'Pataphysique.