RARA-AVIS is for the discussion of hardboiled fiction, in and out of the mystery genre. Possible topics for discussion include: just what is hardboiled fiction?; how does it relate to film noir and/or the pulps?; who's better, Raymond Chandler or Dashiell Hammett?; who are the best modern practitioners? do they in fact exist?; are there any truly hardboiled women writers?; and, how does the genre fit into modern literature? A web page for the list is available.