diff --git a/resources/default_tweaks.py b/resources/default_tweaks.py
index 692349283f..1a371e5610 100644
--- a/resources/default_tweaks.py
+++ b/resources/default_tweaks.py
@@ -217,3 +217,15 @@ generate_cover_foot_font = None
 # open_viewer, do_nothing, edit_cell. Default: open_viewer.
 # Example: doubleclick_on_library_view = 'do_nothing'
 doubleclick_on_library_view = 'open_viewer'
+
+
+# Language to use when sorting. Setting this tweak will force sorting to use the
+# collating order for the specified language. This might be useful if you run
+# calibre in English but want sorting to work in the language where you live.
+# Set the tweak to the desired ISO 639-1 language code, in lower case.
+# You can find the list of supported locales at
+# http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/iseries/v5r3/topic/nls/rbagsicusortsequencetables.htm
+# Default: locale_for_sorting = '' -- use the language calibre displays in
+# Example: locale_for_sorting = 'fr' -- sort using French rules.
+# Example: locale_for_sorting = 'nb' -- sort using Norwegian rules.
+locale_for_sorting =  ''
diff --git a/setup/build_environment.py b/setup/build_environment.py
index c021ebc6a6..d6581a907d 100644
--- a/setup/build_environment.py
+++ b/setup/build_environment.py
@@ -91,11 +91,15 @@ podofo_inc = '/usr/include/podofo'
 podofo_lib = '/usr/lib'
 chmlib_inc_dirs = chmlib_lib_dirs = []
 sqlite_inc_dirs = []
+icu_inc_dirs = []
+icu_lib_dirs = []
 
 if iswindows:
     prefix  = r'C:\cygwin\home\kovid\sw'
     sw_inc_dir  = os.path.join(prefix, 'include')
     sw_lib_dir  = os.path.join(prefix, 'lib')
+    icu_inc_dirs = [sw_inc_dir]
+    icu_lib_dirs = [sw_lib_dir]
     sqlite_inc_dirs = [sw_inc_dir]
     fc_inc = os.path.join(sw_inc_dir, 'fontconfig')
     fc_lib = sw_lib_dir
diff --git a/setup/extensions.py b/setup/extensions.py
index d4ac8e188c..6a9cce7625 100644
--- a/setup/extensions.py
+++ b/setup/extensions.py
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ from setup.build_environment import fc_inc, fc_lib, chmlib_inc_dirs, \
         QMAKE, msvc, MT, win_inc, win_lib, png_inc_dirs, win_ddk, \
         magick_inc_dirs, magick_lib_dirs, png_lib_dirs, png_libs, \
         magick_error, magick_libs, ft_lib_dirs, ft_libs, jpg_libs, \
-        jpg_lib_dirs, chmlib_lib_dirs, sqlite_inc_dirs
+        jpg_lib_dirs, chmlib_lib_dirs, sqlite_inc_dirs, icu_inc_dirs, \
+        icu_lib_dirs
 MT
 isunix = islinux or isosx or isfreebsd
 
@@ -56,8 +57,25 @@ pdfreflow_libs = []
 if iswindows:
     pdfreflow_libs = ['advapi32', 'User32', 'Gdi32', 'zlib']
 
+icu_libs = ['icudata', 'icui18n', 'icuuc', 'icuio']
+icu_cflags = []
+if iswindows:
+    icu_libs = ['icudt', 'icuin', 'icuuc', 'icuio']
+if isosx:
+    icu_libs = ['icucore']
+    icu_cflags = ['-DU_DISABLE_RENAMING'] # Needed to use system libicucore.dylib
+
+
 extensions = [
 
+    Extension('icu',
+        ['calibre/utils/icu.c'],
+        libraries=icu_libs,
+        lib_dirs=icu_lib_dirs,
+        inc_dirs=icu_inc_dirs,
+        cflags=icu_cflags
+        ),
+
     Extension('sqlite_custom',
         ['calibre/library/sqlite_custom.c'],
         inc_dirs=sqlite_inc_dirs
diff --git a/setup/installer/linux/freeze2.py b/setup/installer/linux/freeze2.py
index 684b33b80d..df2c1d6480 100644
--- a/setup/installer/linux/freeze2.py
+++ b/setup/installer/linux/freeze2.py
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ from setup import Command, modules, basenames, functions, __version__, \
 
 SITE_PACKAGES = ['IPython', 'PIL', 'dateutil', 'dns', 'PyQt4', 'mechanize',
         'sip.so', 'BeautifulSoup.py', 'cssutils', 'encutils', 'lxml',
-        'sipconfig.py', 'xdg']
+        'sipconfig.py', 'xdg', 'dbus', '_dbus_bindings.so', 'dbus_bindings.py',
+        '_dbus_glib_bindings.so']
 
 QTDIR          = '/usr/lib/qt4'
 QTDLLS         = ('QtCore', 'QtGui', 'QtNetwork', 'QtSvg', 'QtXml', 'QtWebKit', 'QtDBus')
@@ -49,6 +50,10 @@ binary_includes = [
                 '/lib/libreadline.so.6',
                 '/usr/lib/libchm.so.0',
                 '/usr/lib/liblcms2.so.2',
+                '/usr/lib/libicudata.so.46',
+                '/usr/lib/libicui18n.so.46',
+                '/usr/lib/libicuuc.so.46',
+                '/usr/lib/libicuio.so.46',
                 ]
 binary_includes += [os.path.join(QTDIR, 'lib%s.so.4'%x) for x in QTDLLS]
 
diff --git a/setup/installer/windows/freeze.py b/setup/installer/windows/freeze.py
index 30cc2a97af..7d8ea4d80a 100644
--- a/setup/installer/windows/freeze.py
+++ b/setup/installer/windows/freeze.py
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ class Win32Freeze(Command, WixMixIn):
         for pat in ('*.dll',):
             for f in glob.glob(os.path.join(bindir, pat)):
                 ok = True
-                for ex in ('expatw',):
+                for ex in ('expatw', 'testplug'):
                     if ex in f.lower():
                         ok = False
                 if not ok: continue
diff --git a/setup/installer/windows/notes.rst b/setup/installer/windows/notes.rst
index 9c553c42e8..af4c871dac 100644
--- a/setup/installer/windows/notes.rst
+++ b/setup/installer/windows/notes.rst
@@ -77,6 +77,15 @@ Test it on the target system with
 
 calibre-debug -c "import _imaging, _imagingmath, _imagingft, _imagingcms"
 
+ICU
+-------
+
+Download the win32 msvc9 binary from http://www.icu-project.org/download/4.4.html
+
+Note that 4.4 is the last version of ICU that can be compiled (is precompiled) with msvc9
+
+Put the dlls into sw/bin and the unicode dir into sw/include and the contents of lib int sw/lib
+
 Libunrar
 ----------
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/constants.py b/src/calibre/constants.py
index 197fe5888a..f9c177e7a8 100644
--- a/src/calibre/constants.py
+++ b/src/calibre/constants.py
@@ -67,7 +67,8 @@ if plugins is None:
                 'pdfreflow',
                 'progress_indicator',
                 'chmlib',
-                'chm_extra'
+                'chm_extra',
+                'icu',
             ] + \
                     (['winutil'] if iswindows else []) + \
                     (['usbobserver'] if isosx else []):
diff --git a/src/calibre/devices/usbms/books.py b/src/calibre/devices/usbms/books.py
index 5063daa29f..e5a67463e7 100644
--- a/src/calibre/devices/usbms/books.py
+++ b/src/calibre/devices/usbms/books.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ from calibre.devices.interface import BookList as _BookList
 from calibre.constants import preferred_encoding
 from calibre import isbytestring
 from calibre.utils.config import prefs, tweaks
+from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
 
 class Book(Metadata):
     def __init__(self, prefix, lpath, size=None, other=None):
@@ -215,14 +216,17 @@ class CollectionsBookList(BookList):
                     elif is_series:
                         if doing_dc:
                             collections[cat_name][lpath] = \
-                                (book, book.get('series_index', sys.maxint), '')
+                                (book, book.get('series_index', sys.maxint),
+                                 book.get('title_sort', 'zzzz'))
                         else:
                             collections[cat_name][lpath] = \
-                                (book, book.get(attr+'_index', sys.maxint), '')
+                                (book, book.get(attr+'_index', sys.maxint),
+                                 book.get('title_sort', 'zzzz'))
                     else:
                         if lpath not in collections[cat_name]:
                             collections[cat_name][lpath] = \
-                                (book, book.get('title_sort', 'zzzz'), '')
+                                (book, book.get('title_sort', 'zzzz'),
+                                 book.get('title_sort', 'zzzz'))
         # Sort collections
         result = {}
 
@@ -230,14 +234,19 @@ class CollectionsBookList(BookList):
             x = xx[1]
             y = yy[1]
             if x is None and y is None:
+                # No sort_key needed here, because defaults are ascii
                 return cmp(xx[2], yy[2])
             if x is None:
                 return 1
             if y is None:
                 return -1
-            c = cmp(x, y)
+            if isinstance(x, (unicode, str)):
+                c = cmp(sort_key(x), sort_key(y))
+            else:
+                c = cmp(x, y)
             if c != 0:
                 return c
+            # same as above -- no sort_key needed here
             return cmp(xx[2], yy[2])
 
         for category, lpaths in collections.items():
diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/epub/output.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/epub/output.py
index 17f6eb9f46..c5d11edc2b 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/epub/output.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/epub/output.py
@@ -142,6 +142,9 @@ class EPUBOutput(OutputFormatPlugin):
     def convert(self, oeb, output_path, input_plugin, opts, log):
         self.log, self.opts, self.oeb = log, opts, oeb
 
+        #from calibre.ebooks.oeb.transforms.filenames import UniqueFilenames
+        #UniqueFilenames()(oeb, opts)
+
         self.workaround_ade_quirks()
         self.workaround_webkit_quirks()
         self.upshift_markup()
diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/fb2/fb2ml.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/fb2/fb2ml.py
index 2a9a92612e..46861357e6 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/fb2/fb2ml.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/fb2/fb2ml.py
@@ -8,15 +8,11 @@ __docformat__ = 'restructuredtext en'
 Transform OEB content into FB2 markup
 '''
 
-import cStringIO
 from base64 import b64encode
+from datetime import datetime
+from mimetypes import types_map
 import re
-
-try:
-    from PIL import Image
-    Image
-except ImportError:
-    import Image
+import uuid
 
 from lxml import etree
 
@@ -25,40 +21,12 @@ from calibre.constants import __appname__, __version__
 from calibre.ebooks.oeb.base import XHTML, XHTML_NS, barename, namespace
 from calibre.ebooks.oeb.stylizer import Stylizer
 from calibre.ebooks.oeb.base import OEB_RASTER_IMAGES
-
-TAG_MAP = {
-    'b' : 'strong',
-    'i' : 'emphasis',
-    'p' : 'p',
-    'li' : 'p',
-    'div': 'p',
-    'br' : 'p',
-}
-
-TAG_SPACE = []
-
-TAG_IMAGES = [
-    'img',
-]
-
-TAG_LINKS = [
-    'a',
-]
-
-BLOCK = [
-    'p',
-]
-
-STYLES = [
-    ('font-weight', {'bold'   : 'strong', 'bolder' : 'strong'}),
-    ('font-style', {'italic' : 'emphasis'}),
-]
+from calibre.utils.magick import Image
 
 class FB2MLizer(object):
     '''
-    Todo: * Ensure all style tags are inside of the p tags.
-          * Include more FB2 specific tags in the conversion.
-          * Handle reopening of a tag properly.
+    Todo: * Include more FB2 specific tags in the conversion.
+          * Handle a tags.
           * Figure out some way to turn oeb_book.toc items into <section><title>
             <p> to allow for readers to generate toc from the document.
     '''
@@ -66,29 +34,36 @@ class FB2MLizer(object):
     def __init__(self, log):
         self.log = log
         self.image_hrefs = {}
-        self.link_hrefs = {}
+        self.reset_state()
+
+    def reset_state(self):
+        # Used to ensure text and tags are always within <p> and </p>
+        self.in_p = False
+        # Mapping of image names. OEB allows for images to have the same name but be stored
+        # in different directories. FB2 images are all in a flat layout so we rename all images
+        # into a sequential numbering system to ensure there are no collisions between image names.
+        self.image_hrefs = {}
 
     def extract_content(self, oeb_book, opts):
         self.log.info('Converting XHTML to FB2 markup...')
         self.oeb_book = oeb_book
         self.opts = opts
+
         return self.fb2mlize_spine()
 
     def fb2mlize_spine(self):
-        self.image_hrefs = {}
-        self.link_hrefs = {}
+        self.reset_state()
+
         output = [self.fb2_header()]
-        output.append(self.get_cover_page())
-        output.append(u'ghji87yhjko0Caliblre-toc-placeholder-for-insertion-later8ujko0987yjk')
         output.append(self.get_text())
-        output.append(self.fb2_body_footer())
         output.append(self.fb2mlize_images())
         output.append(self.fb2_footer())
-        output = ''.join(output).replace(u'ghji87yhjko0Caliblre-toc-placeholder-for-insertion-later8ujko0987yjk', self.get_toc())
-        output = self.clean_text(output)
-        if self.opts.sectionize_chapters:
-            output = self.sectionize_chapters(output)
-        return u'<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>\n%s' % etree.tostring(etree.fromstring(output), encoding=unicode, pretty_print=True)
+        output = self.clean_text(u''.join(output))
+
+        if self.opts.pretty_print:
+            return u'<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>\n%s' % etree.tostring(etree.fromstring(output), encoding=unicode, pretty_print=True)
+        else:
+            return u'<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>' + output
 
     def clean_text(self, text):
         text = re.sub(r'(?miu)<section>\s*</section>', '', text)
@@ -101,113 +76,85 @@ class FB2MLizer(object):
         return text
 
     def fb2_header(self):
-        author_first = u''
-        author_middle = u''
-        author_last = u''
+        metadata = {}
+        metadata['author_first'] = u''
+        metadata['author_middle'] = u''
+        metadata['author_last'] = u''
+        metadata['title'] = self.oeb_book.metadata.title[0].value
+        metadata['appname'] = __appname__
+        metadata['version'] = __version__
+        metadata['date'] = '%i.%i.%i' % (datetime.now().day, datetime.now().month, datetime.now().year)
+        metadata['lang'] = u''.join(self.oeb_book.metadata.lang) if self.oeb_book.metadata.lang else 'en'
+        metadata['id'] = '%s' % uuid.uuid4() 
+        
         author_parts = self.oeb_book.metadata.creator[0].value.split(' ')
-
         if len(author_parts) == 1:
-            author_last = author_parts[0]
+            metadata['author_last'] = author_parts[0]
         elif len(author_parts) == 2:
-            author_first = author_parts[0]
-            author_last = author_parts[1]
+            metadata['author_first'] = author_parts[0]
+            metadata['author_last'] = author_parts[1]
         else:
-            author_first = author_parts[0]
-            author_middle = ' '.join(author_parts[1:-2])
-            author_last = author_parts[-1]
+            metadata['author_first'] = author_parts[0]
+            metadata['author_middle'] = ' '.join(author_parts[1:-2])
+            metadata['author_last'] = author_parts[-1]
 
-        return u'<FictionBook xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" ' \
-        'xmlns="http://www.gribuser.ru/xml/fictionbook/2.0">\n' \
-        '<description>\n<title-info>\n ' \
-        '<author>\n<first-name>%s</first-name>\n<middle-name>%s' \
-        '</middle-name>\n<last-name>%s</last-name>\n</author>\n' \
-        '<book-title>%s</book-title> ' \
-        '</title-info><document-info> ' \
-        '<program-used>%s - %s</program-used></document-info>\n' \
-        '</description>\n<body>\n<section>' % tuple(map(prepare_string_for_xml,
-            (author_first, author_middle,
-            author_last, self.oeb_book.metadata.title[0].value,
-            __appname__, __version__)))
+        for key, value in metadata.items():
+            metadata[key] = prepare_string_for_xml(value)
 
-    def get_cover_page(self):
-        output = u''
-        if 'cover' in self.oeb_book.guide:
-            output += '<image xlink:href="#cover.jpg" />'
-            self.image_hrefs[self.oeb_book.guide['cover'].href] = 'cover.jpg'
-        if 'titlepage' in self.oeb_book.guide:
-            self.log.debug('Generating cover page...')
-            href = self.oeb_book.guide['titlepage'].href
-            item = self.oeb_book.manifest.hrefs[href]
-            if item.spine_position is None:
-                stylizer = Stylizer(item.data, item.href, self.oeb_book,
-                        self.opts, self.opts.output_profile)
-                output += ''.join(self.dump_text(item.data.find(XHTML('body')), stylizer, item))
-        return output
-
-    def get_toc(self):
-        toc = []
-        if self.opts.inline_toc:
-            self.log.debug('Generating table of contents...')
-            toc.append(u'<p>%s</p>' % _('Table of Contents:'))
-            for item in self.oeb_book.toc:
-                if item.href in self.link_hrefs.keys():
-                    toc.append('<p><a xlink:href="#%s">%s</a></p>\n' % (self.link_hrefs[item.href], item.title))
-                else:
-                    self.oeb.warn('Ignoring toc item: %s not found in document.' % item)
-        return ''.join(toc)
-
-    def sectionize_chapters(self, text):
-        def remove_p(t):
-            t = t.replace('<p>', '')
-            t = t.replace('</p>', '')
-            return t
-        text = re.sub(r'(?imsu)(<p>)\s*(?P<anchor><a\s+id="calibre_link-\d+"\s*/>)\s*(</p>)\s*(<p>)\s*(?P<strong><strong>.+?</strong>)\s*(</p>)', lambda mo: '</section><section>%s<title><p>%s</p></title>' % (mo.group('anchor'), remove_p(mo.group('strong'))), text)
-        text = re.sub(r'(?imsu)(<p>)\s*(?P<anchor><a\s+id="calibre_link-\d+"\s*/>)\s*(</p>)\s*(?P<strong><strong>.+?</strong>)', lambda mo: '</section><section>%s<title><p>%s</p></title>' % (mo.group('anchor'), remove_p(mo.group('strong'))), text)
-        text = re.sub(r'(?imsu)(?P<anchor><a\s+id="calibre_link-\d+"\s*/>)\s*(<p>)\s*(?P<strong><strong>.+?</strong>)\s*(</p>)', lambda mo: '</section><section>%s<title><p>%s</p></title>' % (mo.group('anchor'), remove_p(mo.group('strong'))), text)
-        text = re.sub(r'(?imsu)(<p>)\s*(?P<anchor><a\s+id="calibre_link-\d+"\s*/>)\s*(?P<strong><strong>.+?</strong>)\s*(</p>)', lambda mo: '</section><section>%s<title><p>%s</p></title>' % (mo.group('anchor'), remove_p(mo.group('strong'))), text)
-        text = re.sub(r'(?imsu)(?P<anchor><a\s+id="calibre_link-\d+"\s*/>)\s*(?P<strong><strong>.+?</strong>)', lambda mo: '</section><section>%s<title><p>%s</p></title>' % (mo.group('anchor'), remove_p(mo.group('strong'))), text)
-        return text
-
-    def get_text(self):
-        text = []
-        for i, item in enumerate(self.oeb_book.spine):
-            if self.opts.sectionize_chapters_using_file_structure and i is not 0:
-                text.append('<section>')
-            self.log.debug('Converting %s to FictionBook2 XML' % item.href)
-            stylizer = Stylizer(item.data, item.href, self.oeb_book, self.opts, self.opts.output_profile)
-            text.append(self.add_page_anchor(item))
-            text += self.dump_text(item.data.find(XHTML('body')), stylizer, item)
-            if self.opts.sectionize_chapters_using_file_structure and i is not len(self.oeb_book.spine) - 1:
-                text.append('</section>')
-        return ''.join(text)
-
-    def fb2_body_footer(self):
-        return u'\n</section>\n</body>'
+        return u'<FictionBook xmlns="http://www.gribuser.ru/xml/fictionbook/2.0" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">' \
+                '<description>' \
+                    '<title-info>' \
+                        '<genre>antique</genre>' \
+                        '<author>' \
+                            '<first-name>%(author_first)s</first-name>' \
+                            '<middle-name>%(author_middle)s</middle-name>' \
+                            '<last-name>%(author_last)s</last-name>' \
+                        '</author>' \
+                        '<book-title>%(title)s</book-title>' \
+                        '<lang>%(lang)s</lang>' \
+                    '</title-info>' \
+                    '<document-info>' \
+                        '<author>' \
+                            '<first-name></first-name>' \
+                            '<middle-name></middle-name>' \
+                            '<last-name></last-name>' \
+                        '</author>' \
+                        '<program-used>%(appname)s %(version)s</program-used>' \
+                        '<date>%(date)s</date>' \
+                        '<id>%(id)s</id>' \
+                        '<version>1.0</version>' \
+                    '</document-info>' \
+                '</description>' % metadata
 
     def fb2_footer(self):
         return u'</FictionBook>'
 
-    def add_page_anchor(self, page):
-        return self.get_anchor(page, '')
-
-    def get_anchor(self, page, aid):
-        aid = prepare_string_for_xml(aid)
-        aid = '%s#%s' % (page.href, aid)
-        if aid not in self.link_hrefs.keys():
-            self.link_hrefs[aid] = 'calibre_link-%s' % len(self.link_hrefs.keys())
-        aid = self.link_hrefs[aid]
-        return '<a id="%s" />' % aid
+    def get_text(self):
+        text = ['<body>']
+        for item in self.oeb_book.spine:
+            self.log.debug('Converting %s to FictionBook2 XML' % item.href)
+            stylizer = Stylizer(item.data, item.href, self.oeb_book, self.opts, self.opts.output_profile)
+            text.append('<section>')
+            text += self.dump_text(item.data.find(XHTML('body')), stylizer, item)
+            text.append('</section>')
+        return ''.join(text) + '</body>'
 
     def fb2mlize_images(self):
+        '''
+        This function uses the self.image_hrefs dictionary mapping. It is populated by the dump_text function.
+        '''
         images = []
         for item in self.oeb_book.manifest:
+            # Don't write the image if it's not referenced in the document's text.
+            if item.href not in self.image_hrefs:
+                continue
             if item.media_type in OEB_RASTER_IMAGES:
                 try:
-                    im = Image.open(cStringIO.StringIO(item.data)).convert('RGB')
-                    data = cStringIO.StringIO()
-                    im.save(data, 'JPEG')
-                    data = data.getvalue()
-
+                    if not item.media_type == types_map['.jpeg'] or not item.media_type == types_map['.jpg']:
+                        im = Image()
+                        im.load(item.data)
+                        im.set_compression_quality(70)
+                        data = im.export('jpg')
                     raw_data = b64encode(data)
                     # Don't put the encoded image on a single line.
                     data = ''
@@ -218,114 +165,167 @@ class FB2MLizer(object):
                             col = 1
                         col += 1
                         data += char
-                    images.append('<binary id="%s" content-type="%s">%s\n</binary>' % (self.image_hrefs.get(item.href, '0000.JPEG'), item.media_type, data))
+                    images.append('<binary id="%s" content-type="image/jpeg">%s\n</binary>' % (self.image_hrefs[item.href], data))
                 except Exception as e:
-                    self.log.error('Error: Could not include file %s becuase ' \
+                    self.log.error('Error: Could not include file %s because ' \
                         '%s.' % (item.href, e))
         return ''.join(images)
 
-    def dump_text(self, elem, stylizer, page, tag_stack=[]):
-        if not isinstance(elem.tag, basestring) \
-           or namespace(elem.tag) != XHTML_NS:
+    def ensure_p(self):
+        if self.in_p:
+            return [], []
+        else:
+            self.in_p = True
+            return ['<p>'], ['p']
+
+    def close_open_p(self, tags):
+        text = ['']
+        added_p = False
+
+        if self.in_p:
+            # Close all up to p. Close p. Reopen all closed tags including p.
+            closed_tags = []
+            tags.reverse()
+            for t in tags:
+                text.append('</%s>' % t)
+                closed_tags.append(t)
+                if t == 'p':
+                    break
+            closed_tags.reverse()
+            for t in closed_tags:
+                text.append('<%s>' % t)
+        else:
+            text.append('<p>')
+            added_p = True
+            self.in_p = True
+
+        return text, added_p
+
+    def handle_simple_tag(self, tag, tags):
+        s_out = []
+        s_tags = []
+        if tag not in tags:
+            p_out, p_tags = self.ensure_p()
+            s_out += p_out
+            s_tags += p_tags
+            s_out.append('<%s>' % tag)
+            s_tags.append(tag)
+        return s_out, s_tags
+
+    def dump_text(self, elem_tree, stylizer, page, tag_stack=[]):
+        '''
+        This function is intended to be used in a recursive manner. dump_text will
+        run though all elements in the elem_tree and call itself on each element.
+
+        self.image_hrefs will be populated by calling this function.
+
+        @param elem_tree: etree representation of XHTML content to be transformed.
+        @param stylizer: Used to track the style of elements within the tree.
+        @param page: OEB page used to determine absolute urls.
+        @param tag_stack: List of open FB2 tags to take into account.
+
+        @return: List of string representing the XHTML converted to FB2 markup.
+        '''
+        # Ensure what we are converting is not a string and that the fist tag is part of the XHTML namespace.
+        if not isinstance(elem_tree.tag, basestring) or namespace(elem_tree.tag) != XHTML_NS:
             return []
 
-        style = stylizer.style(elem)
-        if style['display'] in ('none', 'oeb-page-head', 'oeb-page-foot') \
-           or style['visibility'] == 'hidden':
+        style = stylizer.style(elem_tree)
+        if style['display'] in ('none', 'oeb-page-head', 'oeb-page-foot') or style['visibility'] == 'hidden':
             return []
 
-        fb2_text = []
+        # FB2 generated output.
+        fb2_out = []
+        # FB2 tags in the order they are opened. This will be used to close the tags.
         tags = []
+        # First tag in tree
+        tag = barename(elem_tree.tag)
 
-        tag = barename(elem.tag)
-
-        if tag in TAG_IMAGES:
-            if elem.attrib.get('src', None):
-                if page.abshref(elem.attrib['src']) not in self.image_hrefs.keys():
-                    self.image_hrefs[page.abshref(elem.attrib['src'])] = '%s.jpg' % len(self.image_hrefs.keys())
-                fb2_text.append('<image xlink:href="#%s" />' % self.image_hrefs[page.abshref(elem.attrib['src'])])
-
-        if tag in TAG_LINKS:
-            href = elem.get('href')
-            if href:
-                href = prepare_string_for_xml(page.abshref(href))
-                href = href.replace('"', '&quot;')
-                if '://' in href:
-                    fb2_text.append('<a xlink:href="%s">' % href)
-                else:
-                    if href.startswith('#'):
-                        href = href[1:]
-                    if href not in self.link_hrefs.keys():
-                        self.link_hrefs[href] = 'calibre_link-%s' % len(self.link_hrefs.keys())
-                    href = self.link_hrefs[href]
-                    fb2_text.append('<a xlink:href="#%s">' % href)
-                tags.append('a')
-
-        # Anchor ids
-        id_name = elem.get('id')
-        if id_name:
-            fb2_text.append(self.get_anchor(page, id_name))
-
+        # Process the XHTML tag if it needs to be converted to an FB2 tag.
         if tag == 'h1' and self.opts.h1_to_title or tag == 'h2' and self.opts.h2_to_title or tag == 'h3' and self.opts.h3_to_title:
-            fb2_text.append('<title>')
+            fb2_out.append('<title>')
             tags.append('title')
-
-        fb2_tag = TAG_MAP.get(tag, None)
-        if fb2_tag == 'p':
-            if 'p' in tag_stack+tags:
-                # Close all up to p. Close p. Reopen all closed tags including p.
-                all_tags = tag_stack+tags
+        if tag == 'img':
+            if elem_tree.attrib.get('src', None):
+                # Only write the image tag if it is in the manifest.
+                if page.abshref(elem_tree.attrib['src']) in self.oeb_book.manifest.hrefs.keys():
+                    if page.abshref(elem_tree.attrib['src']) not in self.image_hrefs.keys():
+                        self.image_hrefs[page.abshref(elem_tree.attrib['src'])] = '_%s.jpg' % len(self.image_hrefs.keys())
+                    p_txt, p_tag = self.ensure_p()
+                    fb2_out += p_txt
+                    tags += p_tag
+                    fb2_out.append('<image xlink:href="#%s" />' % self.image_hrefs[page.abshref(elem_tree.attrib['src'])])
+        elif tag == 'br':
+            if self.in_p:
                 closed_tags = []
-                all_tags.reverse()
-                for t in all_tags:
-                    fb2_text.append('</%s>' % t)
+                open_tags = tag_stack+tags
+                open_tags.reverse()
+                for t in open_tags:
+                    fb2_out.append('</%s>' % t)
                     closed_tags.append(t)
                     if t == 'p':
                         break
+                fb2_out.append('<empty-line />')
                 closed_tags.reverse()
                 for t in closed_tags:
-                    fb2_text.append('<%s>' % t)
+                    fb2_out.append('<%s>' % t)
             else:
-                fb2_text.append('<p>')
+                fb2_out.append('<empty-line />')
+        elif tag in ('div', 'li', 'p'):
+            p_text, added_p = self.close_open_p(tag_stack+tags)
+            fb2_out += p_text
+            if added_p:
                 tags.append('p')
-        elif fb2_tag and fb2_tag not in tag_stack+tags:
-            fb2_text.append('<%s>' % fb2_tag)
-            tags.append(fb2_tag)
+        elif tag == 'b':
+            s_out, s_tags = self.handle_simple_tag('strong', tag_stack+tags)
+            fb2_out += s_out
+            tags += s_tags
+        elif tag == 'i':
+            s_out, s_tags = self.handle_simple_tag('emphasis', tag_stack+tags)
+            fb2_out += s_out
+            tags += s_tags
 
-        # Processes style information
-        for s in STYLES:
-            style_tag = s[1].get(style[s[0]], None)
-            if style_tag and style_tag not in tag_stack+tags:
-                fb2_text.append('<%s>' % style_tag)
-                tags.append(style_tag)
+        # Processes style information.
+        if style['font-style'] == 'italic':
+            s_out, s_tags = self.handle_simple_tag('emphasis', tag_stack+tags)
+            fb2_out += s_out
+            tags += s_tags
+        elif style['font-weight'] in ('bold', 'bolder'):
+            s_out, s_tags = self.handle_simple_tag('strong', tag_stack+tags)
+            fb2_out += s_out
+            tags += s_tags
 
-        if tag in TAG_SPACE:
-            if not fb2_text or fb2_text[-1] != ' ' or not fb2_text[-1].endswith(' '):
-                fb2_text.append(' ')
+        # Process element text.
+        if hasattr(elem_tree, 'text') and elem_tree.text:
+            if not self.in_p:
+                fb2_out.append('<p>')
+            fb2_out.append(prepare_string_for_xml(elem_tree.text))
+            if not self.in_p:
+                fb2_out.append('</p>')
 
-        if hasattr(elem, 'text') and elem.text:
-            if 'p' not in tag_stack+tags:
-                fb2_text.append('<p>%s</p>' % prepare_string_for_xml(elem.text))
-            else:
-                fb2_text.append(prepare_string_for_xml(elem.text))
-
-        for item in elem:
-            fb2_text += self.dump_text(item, stylizer, page, tag_stack+tags)
+        # Process sub-elements.
+        for item in elem_tree:
+            fb2_out += self.dump_text(item, stylizer, page, tag_stack+tags)
 
+        # Close open FB2 tags.
         tags.reverse()
-        fb2_text += self.close_tags(tags)
+        fb2_out += self.close_tags(tags)
 
-        if hasattr(elem, 'tail') and elem.tail:
-            if 'p' not in tag_stack:
-                fb2_text.append('<p>%s</p>' % prepare_string_for_xml(elem.tail))
-            else:
-                fb2_text.append(prepare_string_for_xml(elem.tail))
+        # Process element text that comes after the close of the XHTML tag but before the next XHTML tag.
+        if hasattr(elem_tree, 'tail') and elem_tree.tail:
+            if not self.in_p:
+                fb2_out.append('<p>')
+            fb2_out.append(prepare_string_for_xml(elem_tree.tail))
+            if not self.in_p:
+                fb2_out.append('</p>')
 
-        return fb2_text
+        return fb2_out
 
     def close_tags(self, tags):
         text = []
         for tag in tags:
             text.append('</%s>' % tag)
+            if tag == 'p':
+                self.in_p = False
 
         return text
diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/fb2/output.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/fb2/output.py
index bacaf0da91..33714c6e6e 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/fb2/output.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/fb2/output.py
@@ -16,20 +16,6 @@ class FB2Output(OutputFormatPlugin):
     file_type = 'fb2'
 
     options = set([
-        OptionRecommendation(name='inline_toc',
-            recommended_value=False, level=OptionRecommendation.LOW,
-            help=_('Add Table of Contents to beginning of the book.')),
-        OptionRecommendation(name='sectionize_chapters',
-            recommended_value=False, level=OptionRecommendation.LOW,
-            help=_('Try to turn chapters into individual sections. ' \
-                   'WARNING: ' \
-                   'This option is experimental. It can cause conversion ' \
-                   'to fail. It can also produce unexpected output.')),
-        OptionRecommendation(name='sectionize_chapters_using_file_structure',
-            recommended_value=False, level=OptionRecommendation.LOW,
-            help=_('Try to turn chapters into individual sections using the ' \
-                   'internal structure of the ebook. This works well for EPUB ' \
-                   'books that have been internally split by chapter.')),
         OptionRecommendation(name='h1_to_title',
             recommended_value=False, level=OptionRecommendation.LOW,
             help=_('Wrap all h1 tags with fb2 title elements.')),
@@ -43,6 +29,14 @@ class FB2Output(OutputFormatPlugin):
 
     def convert(self, oeb_book, output_path, input_plugin, opts, log):
         from calibre.ebooks.oeb.transforms.jacket import linearize_jacket
+        from calibre.ebooks.oeb.transforms.rasterize import SVGRasterizer, Unavailable
+        
+        try:
+            rasterizer = SVGRasterizer()
+            rasterizer(oeb_book, opts)
+        except Unavailable:
+            self.log.warn('SVG rasterizer unavailable, SVG will not be converted')
+
         linearize_jacket(oeb_book)
 
         fb2mlizer = FB2MLizer(log)
diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/fictionwise.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/fictionwise.py
index 828ea31c3a..e56c697e3c 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/fictionwise.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/fictionwise.py
@@ -3,12 +3,11 @@ __license__ = 'GPL 3'
 __copyright__ = '2010, sengian <sengian1@gmail.com>'
 __docformat__ = 'restructuredtext en'
 
-import sys, textwrap, re
+import sys, textwrap, re, traceback, socket
 from urllib import urlencode
 
-from lxml import html, etree
-from lxml.html import soupparser
-from lxml.etree import tostring
+from lxml import html
+from lxml.html import soupparser, tostring
 
 from calibre import browser, preferred_encoding
 from calibre.ebooks.chardet import xml_to_unicode
@@ -18,6 +17,7 @@ from calibre.library.comments import sanitize_comments_html
 from calibre.ebooks.metadata.fetch import MetadataSource
 from calibre.utils.config import OptionParser
 from calibre.utils.date import parse_date, utcnow
+from calibre.utils.cleantext import clean_ascii_char
 
 class Fictionwise(MetadataSource): # {{{
 
@@ -37,10 +37,11 @@ class Fictionwise(MetadataSource): # {{{
 
     # }}}
 
+class FictionwiseError(Exception):
+    pass
 
 def report(verbose):
     if verbose:
-        import traceback
         traceback.print_exc()
 
 class Query(object):
@@ -86,18 +87,20 @@ class Query(object):
             q = q.encode('utf-8')
         self.urldata = urlencode(q)
 
-    def __call__(self, browser, verbose):
+    def __call__(self, browser, verbose, timeout = 5.):
         if verbose:
-            print 'Query:', self.BASE_URL+self.urldata
+            print _('Query: %s') % self.BASE_URL+self.urldata
         
         try:
-            raw = browser.open_novisit(self.BASE_URL, self.urldata).read()
+            raw = browser.open_novisit(self.BASE_URL, self.urldata, timeout=timeout).read()
         except Exception, e:
             report(verbose)
             if callable(getattr(e, 'getcode', None)) and \
                     e.getcode() == 404:
                 return
-            raise
+            if isinstance(getattr(e, 'args', [None])[0], socket.timeout):
+                raise FictionwiseError(_('Fictionwise timed out. Try again later.'))
+            raise FictionwiseError(_('Fictionwise encountered an error.'))
         if '<title>404 - ' in raw:
             return
         raw = xml_to_unicode(raw, strip_encoding_pats=True,
@@ -105,7 +108,11 @@ class Query(object):
         try:
             feed = soupparser.fromstring(raw)
         except:
-            return
+            try:
+                #remove ASCII invalid chars
+                feed = soupparser.fromstring(clean_ascii_char(raw))
+            except:
+                return None
 
         # get list of results as links
         results = feed.xpath("//table[3]/tr/td[2]/table/tr/td/p/table[2]/tr[@valign]")
@@ -139,12 +146,41 @@ class ResultList(list):
         self.reisbn = re.compile(r'.*ISBN\s*:\s*', re.I)
 
     def strip_tags_etree(self, etreeobj, invalid_tags):
-        for itag in invalid_tags:
-            for elt in etreeobj.getiterator(itag):
-                elt.drop_tag()
-        return etreeobj
+        for (itag, rmv) in invalid_tags.iteritems():
+            if rmv:
+                for elts in etreeobj.getiterator(itag):
+                    elts.drop_tree()
+            else:
+                for elts in etreeobj.getiterator(itag):
+                    elts.drop_tag()
 
-    def clean_entry(self, entry, 
+    def clean_entry(self, entry, invalid_tags = {'script': True},
+                invalid_id = (), invalid_class=(), invalid_xpath = ()):
+        #invalid_tags: remove tag and keep content if False else remove
+        #remove tags
+        if invalid_tags:
+            self.strip_tags_etree(entry, invalid_tags)
+        #remove xpath
+        if invalid_xpath:
+            for eltid in invalid_xpath:
+                elt = entry.xpath(eltid)
+                for el in elt:
+                    el.drop_tree()
+        #remove id
+        if invalid_id:
+            for eltid in invalid_id:
+                elt = entry.get_element_by_id(eltid)
+                if elt is not None:
+                    elt.drop_tree()
+        #remove class
+        if invalid_class:
+            for eltclass in invalid_class:
+                elts = entry.find_class(eltclass)
+                if elts is not None:
+                    for elt in elts:
+                        elt.drop_tree()
+
+    def clean_entry_dffdfbdjbf(self, entry, 
             invalid_tags = ('font', 'strong', 'b', 'ul', 'span', 'a'),
                 remove_tags_trees = ('script',)):
         for it in entry[0].iterchildren(tag='table'):
@@ -170,7 +206,6 @@ class ResultList(list):
         authortext = entry.find('./br').tail
         if not self.rechkauth.search(authortext):
             return []
-            #TODO: parse all tag if necessary
         authortext = self.rechkauth.sub('', authortext)
         return [a.strip() for a in authortext.split('&')]
 
@@ -185,7 +220,7 @@ class ResultList(list):
                     float(image.get('height', default=0))) \
                         for image in entrytable.getiterator('img'))
         #ratings as x/5
-        return 1.25*sum(k*v for (k, v) in hval.iteritems())/sum(hval.itervalues())
+        return float(1.25*sum(k*v for (k, v) in hval.iteritems())/sum(hval.itervalues()))
 
     def get_description(self, entry):
         description = self.output_entry(entry.find('./p'),htmlrm="")
@@ -221,7 +256,6 @@ class ResultList(list):
             self.resplitbr.split(date))
         if not len(date):
             return None
-            #TODO: parse all tag if necessary
         try:
             d = self.redate.sub('', date[0])
             if d:
@@ -279,9 +313,14 @@ class ResultList(list):
         return feed.xpath("//table[3]/tr/td[2]/table[1]/tr/td/font/table/tr/td")
 
     def populate(self, entries, browser, verbose=False):
-        for x in entries:
+        inv_tags ={'script': True, 'a': False, 'font': False, 'strong': False, 'b': False,
+            'ul': False, 'span': False, 'table': True}
+        inv_xpath =('descendant-or-self::p[1]',)
+        #single entry
+        if len(entries) == 1 and not isinstance(entries[0], str):
             try:
-                entry = self.get_individual_metadata(browser, x, verbose)
+                entry = entries.xpath("//table[3]/tr/td[2]/table[1]/tr/td/font/table/tr/td")
+                self.clean_entry(entry, invalid_tags=inv_tags, invalid_xpath=inv_xpath)
                 entry = self.clean_entry(entry)
                 title = self.get_title(entry)
                 #ratings: get table for rating then drop
@@ -292,28 +331,29 @@ class ResultList(list):
                 authors = self.get_authors(entry)
             except Exception, e:
                 if verbose:
-                    print 'Failed to get all details for an entry'
+                    print _('Failed to get all details for an entry')
                     print e
-                continue
+                return
             self.append(self.fill_MI(entry, title, authors, ratings, verbose))
-
-    def populate_single(self, feed, verbose=False):
-        try:
-            entry = feed.xpath("//table[3]/tr/td[2]/table[1]/tr/td/font/table/tr/td")
-            entry = self.clean_entry(entry)
-            title = self.get_title(entry)
-            #ratings: get table for rating then drop
-            for elt in entry.getiterator('table'):
-                ratings =  self.get_rating(elt, verbose)
-                elt.getprevious().drop_tree()
-                elt.drop_tree()
-            authors = self.get_authors(entry)
-        except Exception, e:
-            if verbose:
-                print 'Failed to get all details for an entry'
-                print e
-            return
-        self.append(self.fill_MI(entry, title, authors, ratings, verbose))
+        else:
+            #multiple entries
+            for x in entries:
+                try:
+                    entry = self.get_individual_metadata(browser, x, verbose)
+                    self.clean_entry(entry, invalid_tags=inv_tags, invalid_xpath=inv_xpath)
+                    title = self.get_title(entry)
+                    #ratings: get table for rating then drop
+                    for elt in entry.getiterator('table'):
+                        ratings =  self.get_rating(elt, verbose)
+                        elt.getprevious().drop_tree()
+                        elt.drop_tree()
+                    authors = self.get_authors(entry)
+                except Exception, e:
+                    if verbose:
+                        print _('Failed to get all details for an entry')
+                        print e
+                    continue
+                self.append(self.fill_MI(entry, title, authors, ratings, verbose))
 
 
 def search(title=None, author=None, publisher=None, isbn=None,
@@ -321,35 +361,32 @@ def search(title=None, author=None, publisher=None, isbn=None,
             keywords=None):
     br = browser()
     entries = Query(title=title, author=author, publisher=publisher,
-        keywords=keywords, max_results=max_results)(br, verbose)
+        keywords=keywords, max_results=max_results)(br, verbose, timeout = 10.)
     
     #List of entry
     ans = ResultList()
-    if len(entries) > 1:
-        ans.populate(entries, br, verbose)
-    else:
-        ans.populate_single(entries[0], verbose)
+    ans.populate(entries, br, verbose)
     return ans
 
 
 def option_parser():
     parser = OptionParser(textwrap.dedent(\
-    '''\
+    _('''\
         %prog [options]
 
         Fetch book metadata from Fictionwise. You must specify one of title, author,
         or keywords. No ISBN specification possible. Will fetch a maximum of 20 matches,
         so you should make your query as specific as possible.
-    '''
+    ''')
     ))
-    parser.add_option('-t', '--title', help='Book title')
-    parser.add_option('-a', '--author', help='Book author(s)')
-    parser.add_option('-p', '--publisher', help='Book publisher')
-    parser.add_option('-k', '--keywords', help='Keywords')
+    parser.add_option('-t', '--title', help=_('Book title'))
+    parser.add_option('-a', '--author', help=_('Book author(s)'))
+    parser.add_option('-p', '--publisher', help=_('Book publisher'))
+    parser.add_option('-k', '--keywords', help=_('Keywords'))
     parser.add_option('-m', '--max-results', default=20,
-                      help='Maximum number of results to fetch')
+                      help=_('Maximum number of results to fetch'))
     parser.add_option('-v', '--verbose', default=0, action='count',
-                      help='Be more verbose about errors')
+                      help=_('Be more verbose about errors'))
     return parser
 
 def main(args=sys.argv):
@@ -362,6 +399,9 @@ def main(args=sys.argv):
         report(True)
         parser.print_help()
         return 1
+    if results is None or len(results) == 0:
+        print _('No result found for this search!')
+        return 0
     for result in results:
         print unicode(result).encode(preferred_encoding, 'replace')
         print
diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/nicebooks.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/nicebooks.py
index 4d19e9611b..01e20261b3 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/nicebooks.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/nicebooks.py
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ from copy import deepcopy
 
 from lxml.html import soupparser
 
-from calibre.utils.date import parse_date, utcnow
+from calibre.utils.date import parse_date, utcnow, replace_months
+from calibre.utils.cleantext import clean_ascii_char
 from calibre import browser, preferred_encoding
 from calibre.ebooks.chardet import xml_to_unicode
 from calibre.ebooks.metadata import MetaInformation, check_isbn, \
@@ -71,31 +72,16 @@ class NiceBooksCovers(CoverDownload):
                 traceback.format_exc(), self.name))
 
 
+class NiceBooksError(Exception):
+    pass
+
+class ISBNNotFound(NiceBooksError):
+    pass
+
 def report(verbose):
     if verbose:
-        import traceback
         traceback.print_exc()
 
-def replace_monthsfr(datefr):
-    # Replace french months by english equivalent for parse_date
-    frtoen = {
-        u'[jJ]anvier': u'jan',
-        u'[fF].vrier': u'feb',
-        u'[mM]ars': u'mar',
-        u'[aA]vril': u'apr',
-        u'[mM]ai': u'may',
-        u'[jJ]uin': u'jun',
-        u'[jJ]uillet': u'jul',
-        u'[aA]o.t': u'aug',
-        u'[sS]eptembre': u'sep',
-        u'[Oo]ctobre': u'oct',
-        u'[nN]ovembre': u'nov',
-        u'[dD].cembre': u'dec' }
-    for k in frtoen.iterkeys():
-        tmp = re.sub(k, frtoen[k], datefr)
-        if tmp <> datefr: break
-    return tmp
-
 class Query(object):
 
     BASE_URL = 'http://fr.nicebooks.com/'
@@ -119,7 +105,7 @@ class Query(object):
 
     def __call__(self, browser, verbose, timeout = 5.):
         if verbose:
-            print 'Query:', self.BASE_URL+self.urldata
+            print _('Query: %s') % self.BASE_URL+self.urldata
 
         try:
             raw = browser.open_novisit(self.BASE_URL+self.urldata, timeout=timeout).read()
@@ -128,7 +114,9 @@ class Query(object):
             if callable(getattr(e, 'getcode', None)) and \
                     e.getcode() == 404:
                 return
-            raise
+            if isinstance(getattr(e, 'args', [None])[0], socket.timeout):
+                raise NiceBooksError(_('Nicebooks timed out. Try again later.'))
+            raise NiceBooksError(_('Nicebooks encountered an error.'))
         if '<title>404 - ' in raw:
             return
         raw = xml_to_unicode(raw, strip_encoding_pats=True,
@@ -136,7 +124,11 @@ class Query(object):
         try:
             feed = soupparser.fromstring(raw)
         except:
-            return
+            try:
+                #remove ASCII invalid chars
+                feed = soupparser.fromstring(clean_ascii_char(raw))
+            except:
+                return None
 
         #nb of page to call
         try:
@@ -161,7 +153,11 @@ class Query(object):
                 try:
                     feed = soupparser.fromstring(raw)
                 except:
-                    continue
+                    try:
+                        #remove ASCII invalid chars
+                        feed = soupparser.fromstring(clean_ascii_char(raw))
+                    except:
+                        continue
                 pages.append(feed)
 
         results = []
@@ -180,14 +176,12 @@ class ResultList(list):
         self.reautclean = re.compile(u'\s*\(.*\)\s*')
 
     def get_title(self, entry):
-        # title = deepcopy(entry.find("div[@id='book-info']"))
         title = deepcopy(entry)
         title.remove(title.find("dl[@title='Informations sur le livre']"))
         title = ' '.join([i.text_content() for i in title.iterchildren()])
         return unicode(title.replace('\n', ''))
 
     def get_authors(self, entry):
-        # author = entry.find("div[@id='book-info']/dl[@title='Informations sur le livre']")
         author = entry.find("dl[@title='Informations sur le livre']")
         authortext = []
         for x in author.getiterator('dt'):
@@ -223,7 +217,7 @@ class ResultList(list):
                 d = x.getnext().text_content()
                 try:
                     default = utcnow().replace(day=15)
-                    d = replace_monthsfr(d)
+                    d = replace_months(d, 'fr')
                     d = parse_date(d, assume_utc=True, default=default)
                     mi.pubdate = d
                 except:
@@ -234,11 +228,6 @@ class ResultList(list):
         mi = MetaInformation(title, authors)
         mi.author_sort = authors_to_sort_string(authors)
         mi.comments = self.get_description(entry, verbose)
-        # entry = entry.find("dl[@title='Informations sur le livre']")
-        # mi.publisher = self.get_publisher(entry)
-        # mi.pubdate = self.get_date(entry, verbose)
-        # mi.isbn = self.get_ISBN(entry)
-        # mi.language = self.get_language(entry)
         return self.get_book_info(entry, mi, verbose)
 
     def get_individual_metadata(self, browser, linkdata, verbose):
@@ -249,7 +238,9 @@ class ResultList(list):
             if callable(getattr(e, 'getcode', None)) and \
                     e.getcode() == 404:
                 return
-            raise
+            if isinstance(getattr(e, 'args', [None])[0], socket.timeout):
+                raise NiceBooksError(_('Nicebooks timed out. Try again later.'))
+            raise NiceBooksError(_('Nicebooks encountered an error.'))
         if '<title>404 - ' in raw:
             report(verbose)
             return
@@ -258,7 +249,11 @@ class ResultList(list):
         try:
             feed = soupparser.fromstring(raw)
         except:
-            return
+            try:
+                #remove ASCII invalid chars
+                feed = soupparser.fromstring(clean_ascii_char(raw))
+            except:
+                return None
 
         # get results
         return feed.xpath("//div[@id='container']")[0]
@@ -292,13 +287,6 @@ class ResultList(list):
                     continue
                 self.append(self.fill_MI(entry, title, authors, verbose))
 
-
-class NiceBooksError(Exception):
-    pass
-
-class ISBNNotFound(NiceBooksError):
-    pass
-
 class Covers(object):
 
     def __init__(self, isbn = None):
@@ -329,11 +317,10 @@ class Covers(object):
             return cover, ext if ext else 'jpg'
         except Exception, err:
             if isinstance(getattr(err, 'args', [None])[0], socket.timeout):
-                err = NiceBooksError(_('Nicebooks timed out. Try again later.'))
-                raise err
+                raise NiceBooksError(_('Nicebooks timed out. Try again later.'))
             if not len(self.urlimg):
                 if not self.isbnf:
-                    raise ISBNNotFound('ISBN: '+self.isbn+_(' not found.'))
+                    raise ISBNNotFound(_('ISBN: %s not found.') % self.isbn)
                 raise NiceBooksError(_('An errror occured with Nicebooks cover fetcher'))
 
 
@@ -341,10 +328,10 @@ def search(title=None, author=None, publisher=None, isbn=None,
            max_results=5, verbose=False, keywords=None):
     br = browser()
     entries = Query(title=title, author=author, isbn=isbn, publisher=publisher,
-        keywords=keywords, max_results=max_results)(br, verbose)
+        keywords=keywords, max_results=max_results)(br, verbose,timeout = 10.)
 
     if entries is None or len(entries) == 0:
-        return
+        return None
 
     #List of entry
     ans = ResultList()
@@ -364,28 +351,28 @@ def cover_from_isbn(isbn, timeout = 5.):
 
 def option_parser():
     parser = OptionParser(textwrap.dedent(\
-    '''\
+    _('''\
         %prog [options]
 
         Fetch book metadata from Nicebooks. You must specify one of title, author,
         ISBN, publisher or keywords. Will fetch a maximum of 20 matches,
         so you should make your query as specific as possible.
         It can also get covers if the option is activated.
-    '''
+    ''')
     ))
-    parser.add_option('-t', '--title', help='Book title')
-    parser.add_option('-a', '--author', help='Book author(s)')
-    parser.add_option('-p', '--publisher', help='Book publisher')
-    parser.add_option('-i', '--isbn', help='Book ISBN')
-    parser.add_option('-k', '--keywords', help='Keywords')
+    parser.add_option('-t', '--title', help=_('Book title'))
+    parser.add_option('-a', '--author', help=_('Book author(s)'))
+    parser.add_option('-p', '--publisher', help=_('Book publisher'))
+    parser.add_option('-i', '--isbn', help=_('Book ISBN'))
+    parser.add_option('-k', '--keywords', help=_('Keywords'))
     parser.add_option('-c', '--covers', default=0,
-                      help='Covers: 1-Check/ 2-Download')
+                      help=_('Covers: 1-Check/ 2-Download'))
     parser.add_option('-p', '--coverspath', default='',
-                      help='Covers files path')
+                      help=_('Covers files path'))
     parser.add_option('-m', '--max-results', default=20,
-                      help='Maximum number of results to fetch')
+                      help=_('Maximum number of results to fetch'))
     parser.add_option('-v', '--verbose', default=0, action='count',
-                      help='Be more verbose about errors')
+                      help=_('Be more verbose about errors'))
     return parser
 
 def main(args=sys.argv):
@@ -400,15 +387,15 @@ def main(args=sys.argv):
         parser.print_help()
         return 1
     if results is None or len(results) == 0:
-        print 'No result found for this search!'
+        print _('No result found for this search!')
         return 0
     for result in results:
         print unicode(result).encode(preferred_encoding, 'replace')
         covact = int(opts.covers)
         if  covact == 1:
-            textcover = 'No cover found!'
+            textcover = _('No cover found!')
             if check_for_cover(result.isbn):
-                textcover = 'A cover was found for this book'
+                textcover = _('A cover was found for this book')
             print textcover
         elif covact == 2:
             cover_data, ext = cover_from_isbn(result.isbn)
@@ -417,7 +404,7 @@ def main(args=sys.argv):
                 cpath = os.path.normpath(opts.coverspath + '/' + result.isbn)
             oname = os.path.abspath(cpath+'.'+ext)
             open(oname, 'wb').write(cover_data)
-            print 'Cover saved to file ', oname
+            print _('Cover saved to file '), oname
         print
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/oeb/base.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/oeb/base.py
index 2e480a9941..a077fb0225 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/oeb/base.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/oeb/base.py
@@ -775,6 +775,7 @@ class Manifest(object):
             return u'Item(id=%r, href=%r, media_type=%r)' \
                 % (self.id, self.href, self.media_type)
 
+        # Parsing {{{
         def _parse_xml(self, data):
             data = xml_to_unicode(data, strip_encoding_pats=True,
                     assume_utf8=True, resolve_entities=True)[0]
@@ -1035,6 +1036,8 @@ class Manifest(object):
             data = item.data.cssText
             return ('utf-8', data)
 
+        # }}}
+
         @dynamic_property
         def data(self):
             doc = """Provides MIME type sensitive access to the manifest
diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/oeb/transforms/filenames.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/oeb/transforms/filenames.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2b22474d30
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/oeb/transforms/filenames.py
@@ -0,0 +1,130 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+# vim:fileencoding=UTF-8:ts=4:sw=4:sta:et:sts=4:ai
+
+__license__   = 'GPL v3'
+__copyright__ = '2010, Kovid Goyal <kovid@kovidgoyal.net>'
+__docformat__ = 'restructuredtext en'
+
+import posixpath
+from urlparse import urldefrag
+
+from lxml import etree
+import cssutils
+
+from calibre.ebooks.oeb.base import rewrite_links, urlnormalize
+
+class RenameFiles(object):
+
+    '''
+    Rename files and adjust all links pointing to them. Note that the spine
+    and manifest are not touched by this transform.
+    '''
+
+    def __init__(self, rename_map):
+        self.rename_map = rename_map
+
+    def __call__(self, oeb, opts):
+        self.log = oeb.logger
+        self.opts = opts
+        self.oeb = oeb
+
+        for item in oeb.manifest.items:
+            self.current_item = item
+            if etree.iselement(item.data):
+                rewrite_links(self.current_item.data, self.url_replacer)
+            elif hasattr(item.data, 'cssText'):
+                cssutils.replaceUrls(item.data, self.url_replacer)
+
+        if self.oeb.guide:
+            for ref in self.oeb.guide.values():
+                href = urlnormalize(ref.href)
+                href, frag = urldefrag(href)
+                replacement = self.rename_map.get(href, None)
+                if replacement is not None:
+                    nhref = replacement
+                    if frag:
+                        nhref += '#' + frag
+                    ref.href = nhref
+
+        if self.oeb.toc:
+            self.fix_toc_entry(self.oeb.toc)
+
+
+    def fix_toc_entry(self, toc):
+        if toc.href:
+            href = urlnormalize(toc.href)
+            href, frag = urldefrag(href)
+            replacement = self.rename_map.get(href, None)
+
+            if replacement is not None:
+                nhref = replacement
+                if frag:
+                    nhref = '#'.join((nhref, frag))
+                toc.href = nhref
+
+        for x in toc:
+            self.fix_toc_entry(x)
+
+    def url_replacer(self, orig_url):
+         url = urlnormalize(orig_url)
+         path, frag = urldefrag(url)
+         href = self.current_item.abshref(path)
+         replacement = self.rename_map.get(href, None)
+         if replacement is None:
+             return orig_url
+         replacement = self.current_item.relhref(replacement)
+         if frag:
+             replacement += '#' + frag
+         return replacement
+
+class UniqueFilenames(object):
+
+    'Ensure that every item in the manifest has a unique filename'
+
+    def __call__(self, oeb, opts):
+        self.log = oeb.logger
+        self.opts = opts
+        self.oeb = oeb
+
+        self.seen_filenames = set([])
+        self.rename_map = {}
+
+        for item in list(oeb.manifest.items):
+            fname = posixpath.basename(item.href)
+            if fname in self.seen_filenames:
+                suffix = self.unique_suffix(fname)
+                data = item.data
+                base, ext = posixpath.splitext(item.href)
+                nhref = base + suffix + ext
+                nhref = oeb.manifest.generate(href=nhref)[1]
+                nitem = oeb.manifest.add(item.id, nhref, item.media_type, data=data,
+                        fallback=item.fallback)
+                self.seen_filenames.add(posixpath.basename(nhref))
+                self.rename_map[item.href] = nhref
+                if item.spine_position is not None:
+                    oeb.spine.insert(item.spine_position, nitem, item.linear)
+                    oeb.spine.remove(item)
+                oeb.manifest.remove(item)
+            else:
+                self.seen_filenames.add(fname)
+
+        if self.rename_map:
+            self.log('Found non-unique filenames, renaming to support broken'
+                    ' EPUB readers like FBReader, Aldiko and Stanza...')
+            from pprint import pformat
+            self.log.debug(pformat(self.rename_map))
+
+            renamer = RenameFiles(self.rename_map)
+            renamer(oeb, opts)
+
+
+    def unique_suffix(self, fname):
+        base, ext = posixpath.splitext(fname)
+        c = 0
+        while True:
+            c += 1
+            suffix = '_u%d'%c
+            candidate = base + suffix + ext
+            if candidate not in self.seen_filenames:
+                return suffix
+
diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/txt/txtml.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/txt/txtml.py
index 48c94c2543..a3b4ed7afe 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/txt/txtml.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/txt/txtml.py
@@ -179,8 +179,7 @@ class TXTMLizer(object):
                 text.append(u'\n\n')
 
         if tag in SPACE_TAGS:
-            if not end.endswith('u ') and hasattr(elem, 'text') and elem.text:
-                text.append(u' ')
+            text.append(u' ')
 
         # Process tags that contain text.
         if hasattr(elem, 'text') and elem.text:
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/edit_metadata.py b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/edit_metadata.py
index 725bf35993..6e2a4054c8 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/edit_metadata.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/edit_metadata.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ from calibre.gui2.dialogs.metadata_bulk import MetadataBulkDialog
 from calibre.gui2.dialogs.confirm_delete import confirm
 from calibre.gui2.dialogs.tag_list_editor import TagListEditor
 from calibre.gui2.actions import InterfaceAction
+from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
 
 class EditMetadataAction(InterfaceAction):
 
@@ -363,8 +364,7 @@ class EditMetadataAction(InterfaceAction):
     def edit_device_collections(self, view, oncard=None):
         model = view.model()
         result = model.get_collections_with_ids()
-        compare = (lambda x,y:cmp(x.lower(), y.lower()))
-        d = TagListEditor(self.gui, tag_to_match=None, data=result, compare=compare)
+        d = TagListEditor(self.gui, tag_to_match=None, data=result, key=sort_key)
         d.exec_()
         if d.result() == d.Accepted:
             to_rename = d.to_rename # dict of new text to old ids
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/book_details.py b/src/calibre/gui2/book_details.py
index b101d4c44f..5214f1a1d5 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/book_details.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/book_details.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ from calibre.ebooks import BOOK_EXTENSIONS
 from calibre.constants import preferred_encoding
 from calibre.library.comments import comments_to_html
 from calibre.gui2 import config, open_local_file
+from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
 
 # render_rows(data) {{{
 WEIGHTS = collections.defaultdict(lambda : 100)
@@ -31,8 +32,8 @@ WEIGHTS[_('Tags')] = 4
 def render_rows(data):
     keys = data.keys()
     # First sort by name. The WEIGHTS sort will preserve this sub-order
-    keys.sort(cmp=lambda x, y: cmp(x.lower(), y.lower()))
-    keys.sort(cmp=lambda x, y: cmp(WEIGHTS[x], WEIGHTS[y]))
+    keys.sort(key=sort_key)
+    keys.sort(key=lambda x: WEIGHTS[x])
     rows = []
     for key in keys:
         txt = data[key]
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/convert/fb2_output.py b/src/calibre/gui2/convert/fb2_output.py
index 5d927146a5..6b1497a9db 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/convert/fb2_output.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/convert/fb2_output.py
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@ class PluginWidget(Widget, Ui_Form):
     ICON = I('mimetypes/fb2.png')
 
     def __init__(self, parent, get_option, get_help, db=None, book_id=None):
-        Widget.__init__(self, parent, ['inline_toc', 'sectionize_chapters', 
-            'sectionize_chapters_using_file_structure', 'h1_to_title', 
-            'h2_to_title', 'h3_to_title'])
+        Widget.__init__(self, parent, ['h1_to_title', 'h2_to_title', 'h3_to_title'])
         self.db, self.book_id = db, book_id
         self.initialize_options(get_option, get_help, db, book_id)
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/convert/fb2_output.ui b/src/calibre/gui2/convert/fb2_output.ui
index a90ecd615e..436719aed4 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/convert/fb2_output.ui
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/convert/fb2_output.ui
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
    <string>Form</string>
   </property>
   <layout class="QGridLayout" name="gridLayout">
-   <item row="6" column="0">
+   <item row="3" column="0">
     <spacer name="verticalSpacer">
      <property name="orientation">
       <enum>Qt::Vertical</enum>
@@ -28,41 +28,20 @@
     </spacer>
    </item>
    <item row="0" column="0">
-    <widget class="QCheckBox" name="opt_inline_toc">
-     <property name="text">
-      <string>&amp;Inline TOC</string>
-     </property>
-    </widget>
-   </item>
-   <item row="1" column="0">
-    <widget class="QCheckBox" name="opt_sectionize_chapters">
-     <property name="text">
-      <string>Sectionize Chapters (Use with care!)</string>
-     </property>
-    </widget>
-   </item>
-   <item row="2" column="0">
-    <widget class="QCheckBox" name="opt_sectionize_chapters_using_file_structure">
-     <property name="text">
-      <string>Sectionize Chapters using file structure</string>
-     </property>
-    </widget>
-   </item>
-   <item row="3" column="0">
     <widget class="QCheckBox" name="opt_h1_to_title">
      <property name="text">
       <string>Wrap h1 tags with &lt;title&gt; elements</string>
      </property>
     </widget>
    </item>
-   <item row="4" column="0">
+   <item row="1" column="0">
     <widget class="QCheckBox" name="opt_h2_to_title">
      <property name="text">
       <string>Wrap h2 tags with &lt;title&gt; elements</string>
      </property>
     </widget>
    </item>
-   <item row="5" column="0">
+   <item row="2" column="0">
     <widget class="QCheckBox" name="opt_h3_to_title">
      <property name="text">
       <string>Wrap h3 tags with &lt;title&gt; elements</string>
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/convert/metadata.py b/src/calibre/gui2/convert/metadata.py
index 7a02cf4429..d3744bb614 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/convert/metadata.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/convert/metadata.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ from calibre.ebooks.metadata import authors_to_string, string_to_authors, \
 from calibre.ebooks.metadata.opf2 import metadata_to_opf
 from calibre.ptempfile import PersistentTemporaryFile
 from calibre.gui2.convert import Widget
+from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
 
 def create_opf_file(db, book_id):
     mi = db.get_metadata(book_id, index_is_id=True)
@@ -102,7 +103,7 @@ class MetadataWidget(Widget, Ui_Form):
 
     def initalize_authors(self):
         all_authors = self.db.all_authors()
-        all_authors.sort(cmp=lambda x, y : cmp(x[1], y[1]))
+        all_authors.sort(key=lambda x : sort_key(x[1]))
 
         for i in all_authors:
             id, name = i
@@ -117,7 +118,7 @@ class MetadataWidget(Widget, Ui_Form):
 
     def initialize_series(self):
         all_series = self.db.all_series()
-        all_series.sort(cmp=lambda x, y : cmp(x[1], y[1]))
+        all_series.sort(key=lambda x : sort_key(x[1]))
 
         for i in all_series:
             id, name = i
@@ -126,7 +127,7 @@ class MetadataWidget(Widget, Ui_Form):
 
     def initialize_publisher(self):
         all_publishers = self.db.all_publishers()
-        all_publishers.sort(cmp=lambda x, y : cmp(x[1], y[1]))
+        all_publishers.sort(key=lambda x : sort_key(x[1]))
 
         for i in all_publishers:
             id, name = i
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/custom_column_widgets.py b/src/calibre/gui2/custom_column_widgets.py
index 6b6669f4e0..5ab8bb6940 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/custom_column_widgets.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/custom_column_widgets.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ from calibre.utils.date import qt_to_dt, now
 from calibre.gui2.widgets import TagsLineEdit, EnComboBox
 from calibre.gui2 import UNDEFINED_QDATE, error_dialog
 from calibre.utils.config import tweaks
+from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
 
 class Base(object):
 
@@ -207,7 +208,7 @@ class Text(Base):
 
     def setup_ui(self, parent):
         values = self.all_values = list(self.db.all_custom(num=self.col_id))
-        values.sort(cmp = lambda x,y: cmp(x.lower(), y.lower()))
+        values.sort(key=sort_key)
         if self.col_metadata['is_multiple']:
             w = TagsLineEdit(parent, values)
             w.setSizePolicy(QSizePolicy.Minimum, QSizePolicy.Preferred)
@@ -256,7 +257,7 @@ class Series(Base):
 
     def setup_ui(self, parent):
         values = self.all_values = list(self.db.all_custom(num=self.col_id))
-        values.sort(cmp = lambda x,y: cmp(x.lower(), y.lower()))
+        values.sort(key=sort_key)
         w = EnComboBox(parent)
         w.setSizeAdjustPolicy(w.AdjustToMinimumContentsLengthWithIcon)
         w.setMinimumContentsLength(25)
@@ -365,11 +366,10 @@ widgets = {
         'enumeration': Enumeration
 }
 
-def field_sort(y, z, x=None):
-    m1, m2 = x[y], x[z]
+def field_sort_key(y, x=None):
+    m1 = x[y]
     n1 = 'zzzzz' if m1['datatype'] == 'comments' else m1['name']
-    n2 = 'zzzzz' if m2['datatype'] == 'comments' else m2['name']
-    return cmp(n1.lower(), n2.lower())
+    return sort_key(n1)
 
 def populate_metadata_page(layout, db, book_id, bulk=False, two_column=False, parent=None):
     def widget_factory(type, col):
@@ -381,7 +381,7 @@ def populate_metadata_page(layout, db, book_id, bulk=False, two_column=False, pa
         return w
     x = db.custom_column_num_map
     cols = list(x)
-    cols.sort(cmp=partial(field_sort, x=x))
+    cols.sort(key=partial(field_sort_key, x=x))
     count_non_comment = len([c for c in cols if x[c]['datatype'] != 'comments'])
 
     layout.setColumnStretch(1, 10)
@@ -526,7 +526,7 @@ class BulkSeries(BulkBase):
 
     def setup_ui(self, parent):
         values = self.all_values = list(self.db.all_custom(num=self.col_id))
-        values.sort(cmp = lambda x,y: cmp(x.lower(), y.lower()))
+        values.sort(key=sort_key)
         w = EnComboBox(parent)
         w.setSizeAdjustPolicy(w.AdjustToMinimumContentsLengthWithIcon)
         w.setMinimumContentsLength(25)
@@ -678,7 +678,7 @@ class BulkText(BulkBase):
 
     def setup_ui(self, parent):
         values = self.all_values = list(self.db.all_custom(num=self.col_id))
-        values.sort(cmp = lambda x,y: cmp(x.lower(), y.lower()))
+        values.sort(key=sort_key)
         if self.col_metadata['is_multiple']:
             w = TagsLineEdit(parent, values)
             w.setSizePolicy(QSizePolicy.Minimum, QSizePolicy.Preferred)
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_bulk.py b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_bulk.py
index 7c6125d537..362091eb2d 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_bulk.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_bulk.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ from calibre.gui2 import error_dialog
 from calibre.gui2.progress_indicator import ProgressIndicator
 from calibre.utils.config import dynamic
 from calibre.utils.titlecase import titlecase
+from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
 
 class MyBlockingBusy(QDialog):
 
@@ -594,7 +595,7 @@ class MetadataBulkDialog(QDialog, Ui_MetadataBulkDialog):
 
     def initalize_authors(self):
         all_authors = self.db.all_authors()
-        all_authors.sort(cmp=lambda x, y : cmp(x[1].lower(), y[1].lower()))
+        all_authors.sort(key=lambda x : sort_key(x[1]))
 
         for i in all_authors:
             id, name = i
@@ -604,7 +605,7 @@ class MetadataBulkDialog(QDialog, Ui_MetadataBulkDialog):
 
     def initialize_series(self):
         all_series = self.db.all_series()
-        all_series.sort(cmp=lambda x, y : cmp(x[1], y[1]))
+        all_series.sort(key=lambda x : sort_key(x[1]))
 
         for i in all_series:
             id, name = i
@@ -613,7 +614,7 @@ class MetadataBulkDialog(QDialog, Ui_MetadataBulkDialog):
 
     def initialize_publisher(self):
         all_publishers = self.db.all_publishers()
-        all_publishers.sort(cmp=lambda x, y : cmp(x[1], y[1]))
+        all_publishers.sort(key=lambda x : sort_key(x[1]))
 
         for i in all_publishers:
             id, name = i
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_single.py b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_single.py
index b0b1c55fdc..5506f0e062 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_single.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_single.py
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ from calibre.ebooks.metadata.meta import get_metadata
 from calibre.ebooks.metadata import MetaInformation
 from calibre.utils.config import prefs, tweaks
 from calibre.utils.date import qt_to_dt, local_tz, utcfromtimestamp
+from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
 from calibre.customize.ui import run_plugins_on_import, get_isbndb_key
 from calibre.gui2.preferences.social import SocialMetadata
 from calibre.gui2.custom_column_widgets import populate_metadata_page
@@ -660,7 +661,7 @@ class MetadataSingleDialog(ResizableDialog, Ui_MetadataSingleDialog):
 
     def initalize_authors(self):
         all_authors = self.db.all_authors()
-        all_authors.sort(cmp=lambda x, y : cmp(x[1], y[1]))
+        all_authors.sort(key=lambda x : sort_key(x[1]))
         for i in all_authors:
             id, name = i
             name = [name.strip().replace('|', ',') for n in name.split(',')]
@@ -675,7 +676,7 @@ class MetadataSingleDialog(ResizableDialog, Ui_MetadataSingleDialog):
     def initialize_series(self):
         self.series.setSizeAdjustPolicy(self.series.AdjustToContentsOnFirstShow)
         all_series = self.db.all_series()
-        all_series.sort(cmp=lambda x, y : cmp(x[1], y[1]))
+        all_series.sort(key=lambda x : sort_key(x[1]))
         series_id = self.db.series_id(self.row)
         idx, c = None, 0
         for i in all_series:
@@ -692,7 +693,7 @@ class MetadataSingleDialog(ResizableDialog, Ui_MetadataSingleDialog):
 
     def initialize_publisher(self):
         all_publishers = self.db.all_publishers()
-        all_publishers.sort(cmp=lambda x, y : cmp(x[1], y[1]))
+        all_publishers.sort(key=lambda x : sort_key(x[1]))
         publisher_id = self.db.publisher_id(self.row)
         idx, c = None, 0
         for i in all_publishers:
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/saved_search_editor.py b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/saved_search_editor.py
index 3f9f7ad437..1143a6f06a 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/saved_search_editor.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/saved_search_editor.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ from PyQt4.QtGui import QDialog
 
 from calibre.gui2.dialogs.saved_search_editor_ui import Ui_SavedSearchEditor
 from calibre.utils.search_query_parser import saved_searches
+from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
 from calibre.gui2.dialogs.confirm_delete import confirm
 
 class SavedSearchEditor(QDialog, Ui_SavedSearchEditor):
@@ -34,7 +35,7 @@ class SavedSearchEditor(QDialog, Ui_SavedSearchEditor):
 
     def populate_search_list(self):
         self.search_name_box.clear()
-        for name in sorted(self.searches.keys()):
+        for name in sorted(self.searches.keys(), key=sort_key):
             self.search_name_box.addItem(name)
 
     def add_search(self):
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/search.py b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/search.py
index ba09a34a68..8e8fd09652 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/search.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/search.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ from PyQt4.QtGui import QDialog, QDialogButtonBox
 from calibre.gui2.dialogs.search_ui import Ui_Dialog
 from calibre.library.caches import CONTAINS_MATCH, EQUALS_MATCH
 from calibre.gui2 import gprefs
+from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
 
 box_values = {}
 
@@ -18,8 +19,7 @@ class SearchDialog(QDialog, Ui_Dialog):
         self.setupUi(self)
         self.mc = ''
         searchables = sorted(db.field_metadata.searchable_fields(),
-                             lambda x, y: cmp(x if x[0] != '#' else x[1:],
-                                              y if y[0] != '#' else y[1:]))
+                             key=lambda x: sort_key(x if x[0] != '#' else x[1:]))
         self.general_combo.addItems(searchables)
 
         self.box_last_values = copy.deepcopy(box_values)
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_categories.py b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_categories.py
index 7a9660a655..210a2704bf 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_categories.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_categories.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ from PyQt4.QtGui import QDialog, QIcon, QListWidgetItem
 from calibre.gui2.dialogs.tag_categories_ui import Ui_TagCategories
 from calibre.gui2.dialogs.confirm_delete import confirm
 from calibre.constants import islinux
+from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
 
 class Item:
     def __init__(self, name, label, index, icon, exists):
@@ -85,7 +86,7 @@ class TagCategories(QDialog, Ui_TagCategories):
                     # remove any references to a category that no longer exists
                     del self.categories[cat][item]
 
-        self.all_items_sorted = sorted(self.all_items, cmp=lambda x,y: cmp(x.name.lower(), y.name.lower()))
+        self.all_items_sorted = sorted(self.all_items, key=lambda x: sort_key(x.name))
         self.display_filtered_categories(0)
 
         for v in category_names:
@@ -135,7 +136,7 @@ class TagCategories(QDialog, Ui_TagCategories):
             index = self.all_items[node.data(Qt.UserRole).toPyObject()].index
             if index not in self.applied_items:
                 self.applied_items.append(index)
-        self.applied_items.sort(cmp=lambda x, y:cmp(self.all_items[x].name.lower(), self.all_items[y].name.lower()))
+        self.applied_items.sort(key=lambda x:sort_key(self.all_items[x]))
         self.display_filtered_categories(None)
 
     def unapply_tags(self, node=None):
@@ -198,5 +199,5 @@ class TagCategories(QDialog, Ui_TagCategories):
             self.categories[self.current_cat_name] = l
 
     def populate_category_list(self):
-        for n in sorted(self.categories.keys(), cmp=lambda x,y: cmp(x.lower(), y.lower())):
+        for n in sorted(self.categories.keys(), key=sort_key):
             self.category_box.addItem(n)
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_editor.py b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_editor.py
index 34c61914fe..48a07c4b9e 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_editor.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_editor.py
@@ -6,12 +6,10 @@ from PyQt4.QtGui import QDialog
 from calibre.gui2.dialogs.tag_editor_ui import Ui_TagEditor
 from calibre.gui2 import question_dialog, error_dialog
 from calibre.constants import islinux
+from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
 
 class TagEditor(QDialog, Ui_TagEditor):
 
-    def tag_cmp(self, x, y):
-        return cmp(x.lower(), y.lower())
-
     def __init__(self, window, db, index=None):
         QDialog.__init__(self, window)
         Ui_TagEditor.__init__(self)
@@ -25,7 +23,7 @@ class TagEditor(QDialog, Ui_TagEditor):
             tags = []
         if tags:
             tags = [tag.strip() for tag in tags.split(',') if tag.strip()]
-            tags.sort(cmp=self.tag_cmp)
+            tags.sort(key=sort_key)
             for tag in tags:
                 self.applied_tags.addItem(tag)
         else:
@@ -35,7 +33,7 @@ class TagEditor(QDialog, Ui_TagEditor):
 
         all_tags = [tag for tag in self.db.all_tags()]
         all_tags = list(set(all_tags))
-        all_tags.sort(cmp=self.tag_cmp)
+        all_tags.sort(key=sort_key)
         for tag in all_tags:
             if tag not in tags:
                 self.available_tags.addItem(tag)
@@ -82,7 +80,7 @@ class TagEditor(QDialog, Ui_TagEditor):
             self.tags.append(tag)
             self.available_tags.takeItem(self.available_tags.row(item))
 
-        self.tags.sort(cmp=self.tag_cmp)
+        self.tags.sort(key=sort_key)
         self.applied_tags.clear()
         for tag in self.tags:
             self.applied_tags.addItem(tag)
@@ -96,14 +94,14 @@ class TagEditor(QDialog, Ui_TagEditor):
             self.tags.remove(tag)
             self.available_tags.addItem(tag)
 
-        self.tags.sort(cmp=self.tag_cmp)
+        self.tags.sort(key=sort_key)
         self.applied_tags.clear()
         for tag in self.tags:
             self.applied_tags.addItem(tag)
 
         items = [unicode(self.available_tags.item(x).text()) for x in
                 range(self.available_tags.count())]
-        items.sort(cmp=self.tag_cmp)
+        items.sort(key=sort_key)
         self.available_tags.clear()
         for item in items:
             self.available_tags.addItem(item)
@@ -117,7 +115,7 @@ class TagEditor(QDialog, Ui_TagEditor):
             if tag not in self.tags:
                 self.tags.append(tag)
 
-        self.tags.sort(cmp=self.tag_cmp)
+        self.tags.sort(key=sort_key)
         self.applied_tags.clear()
         for tag in self.tags:
             self.applied_tags.addItem(tag)
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_list_editor.py b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_list_editor.py
index 7cdc0a089a..a7d6fe03e7 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_list_editor.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_list_editor.py
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ class ListWidgetItem(QListWidgetItem):
 
 class TagListEditor(QDialog, Ui_TagListEditor):
 
-    def __init__(self, window, tag_to_match, data, compare):
+    def __init__(self, window, tag_to_match, data, key):
         QDialog.__init__(self, window)
         Ui_TagListEditor.__init__(self)
         self.setupUi(self)
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ class TagListEditor(QDialog, Ui_TagListEditor):
 
         for k,v in data:
             self.all_tags[v] = k
-        for tag in sorted(self.all_tags.keys(), cmp=compare):
+        for tag in sorted(self.all_tags.keys(), key=key):
             item = ListWidgetItem(tag)
             item.setData(Qt.UserRole, self.all_tags[tag])
             self.available_tags.addItem(item)
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/user_profiles.py b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/user_profiles.py
index 6901e13968..71c9ebcd04 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/user_profiles.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/user_profiles.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ from calibre.gui2 import error_dialog, question_dialog, open_url, \
                          choose_files, ResizableDialog, NONE
 from calibre.gui2.widgets import PythonHighlighter
 from calibre.ptempfile import PersistentTemporaryFile
+from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
 
 class CustomRecipeModel(QAbstractListModel):
 
@@ -256,7 +257,7 @@ class %(classname)s(%(base_class)s):
     def add_builtin_recipe(self):
         from calibre.web.feeds.recipes.collection import \
             get_builtin_recipe_by_title, get_builtin_recipe_titles
-        items = sorted(get_builtin_recipe_titles())
+        items = sorted(get_builtin_recipe_titles(), key=sort_key)
 
 
         title, ok = QInputDialog.getItem(self, _('Pick recipe'), _('Pick the recipe to customize'),
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/library/delegates.py b/src/calibre/gui2/library/delegates.py
index 03309d1fba..8b6c2a8ae5 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/library/delegates.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/library/delegates.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ from calibre.gui2.widgets import EnLineEdit, TagsLineEdit
 from calibre.utils.date import now, format_date
 from calibre.utils.config import tweaks
 from calibre.utils.formatter import validation_formatter
+from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
 from calibre.gui2.dialogs.comments_dialog import CommentsDialog
 
 class RatingDelegate(QStyledItemDelegate): # {{{
@@ -173,7 +174,8 @@ class TagsDelegate(QStyledItemDelegate): # {{{
                 editor = TagsLineEdit(parent, self.db.all_tags())
             else:
                 editor = TagsLineEdit(parent,
-                        sorted(list(self.db.all_custom(label=self.db.field_metadata.key_to_label(col)))))
+                        sorted(list(self.db.all_custom(label=self.db.field_metadata.key_to_label(col))),
+                               key=sort_key))
                 return editor
         else:
             editor = EnLineEdit(parent)
@@ -245,7 +247,8 @@ class CcTextDelegate(QStyledItemDelegate): # {{{
             editor.setDecimals(2)
         else:
             editor = EnLineEdit(parent)
-            complete_items = sorted(list(m.db.all_custom(label=m.db.field_metadata.key_to_label(col))))
+            complete_items = sorted(list(m.db.all_custom(label=m.db.field_metadata.key_to_label(col))),
+                                    key=sort_key)
             completer = QCompleter(complete_items, self)
             completer.setCaseSensitivity(Qt.CaseInsensitive)
             completer.setCompletionMode(QCompleter.PopupCompletion)
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/library/models.py b/src/calibre/gui2/library/models.py
index e09f85dc6b..e854ffc1bc 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/library/models.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/library/models.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ from calibre.ebooks.metadata import fmt_sidx, authors_to_string, string_to_autho
 from calibre.ptempfile import PersistentTemporaryFile
 from calibre.utils.config import tweaks, prefs
 from calibre.utils.date import dt_factory, qt_to_dt, isoformat
+from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
 from calibre.ebooks.metadata.meta import set_metadata as _set_metadata
 from calibre.utils.search_query_parser import SearchQueryParser
 from calibre.library.caches import _match, CONTAINS_MATCH, EQUALS_MATCH, \
@@ -305,9 +306,10 @@ class BooksModel(QAbstractTableModel): # {{{
         cdata = self.cover(idx)
         if cdata:
             data['cover'] = cdata
-        tags = self.db.tags(idx)
+        tags = list(self.db.get_tags(self.db.id(idx)))
         if tags:
-            tags = tags.replace(',', ', ')
+            tags.sort(key=sort_key)
+            tags = ', '.join(tags)
         else:
             tags = _('None')
         data[_('Tags')] = tags
@@ -544,7 +546,7 @@ class BooksModel(QAbstractTableModel): # {{{
         def tags(r, idx=-1):
             tags = self.db.data[r][idx]
             if tags:
-                return QVariant(', '.join(sorted(tags.split(','))))
+                return QVariant(', '.join(sorted(tags.split(','), key=sort_key)))
             return None
 
         def series_type(r, idx=-1, siix=-1):
@@ -595,7 +597,7 @@ class BooksModel(QAbstractTableModel): # {{{
         def text_type(r, mult=False, idx=-1):
             text = self.db.data[r][idx]
             if text and mult:
-                return QVariant(', '.join(sorted(text.split('|'))))
+                return QVariant(', '.join(sorted(text.split('|'),key=sort_key)))
             return QVariant(text)
 
         def number_type(r, idx=-1):
@@ -1033,8 +1035,8 @@ class DeviceBooksModel(BooksModel): # {{{
             x, y = int(self.db[x].size), int(self.db[y].size)
             return cmp(x, y)
         def tagscmp(x, y):
-            x = ','.join(sorted(getattr(self.db[x], 'device_collections', []))).lower()
-            y = ','.join(sorted(getattr(self.db[y], 'device_collections', []))).lower()
+            x = ','.join(sorted(getattr(self.db[x], 'device_collections', []),key=sort_key))
+            y = ','.join(sorted(getattr(self.db[y], 'device_collections', []),key=sort_key))
             return cmp(x, y)
         def libcmp(x, y):
             x, y = self.db[x].in_library, self.db[y].in_library
@@ -1211,7 +1213,7 @@ class DeviceBooksModel(BooksModel): # {{{
             elif cname == 'collections':
                 tags = self.db[self.map[row]].device_collections
                 if tags:
-                    tags.sort(cmp=lambda x,y: cmp(x.lower(), y.lower()))
+                    tags.sort(key=sort_key)
                     return QVariant(', '.join(tags))
             elif DEBUG and cname == 'inlibrary':
                 return QVariant(self.db[self.map[row]].in_library)
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/behavior.py b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/behavior.py
index d6d6d7be23..169a2b76fe 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/behavior.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/behavior.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ from calibre.utils.search_query_parser import saved_searches
 from calibre.ebooks import BOOK_EXTENSIONS
 from calibre.ebooks.oeb.iterator import is_supported
 from calibre.constants import iswindows
+from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
 
 class ConfigWidget(ConfigWidgetBase, Ui_Form):
 
@@ -45,8 +46,7 @@ class ConfigWidget(ConfigWidgetBase, Ui_Form):
         choices = [(x.upper(), x) for x in output_formats]
         r('output_format', prefs, choices=choices)
 
-        restrictions = sorted(saved_searches().names(),
-                              cmp=lambda x,y: cmp(x.lower(), y.lower()))
+        restrictions = sorted(saved_searches().names(), key=sort_key)
         choices = [('', '')] + [(x, x) for x in restrictions]
         r('gui_restriction', db.prefs, choices=choices)
         r('new_book_tags', prefs, setting=CommaSeparatedList)
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/create_custom_column.ui b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/create_custom_column.ui
index bdf4f624a4..d4e85a24c9 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/create_custom_column.ui
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/create_custom_column.ui
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@
          <item>
           <widget class="QLineEdit" name="composite_box">
            <property name="sizePolicy">
-            <sizepolicy hsizetype="Maximum" vsizetype="Fixed">
+            <sizepolicy hsizetype="Expanding" vsizetype="Fixed">
              <horstretch>0</horstretch>
              <verstretch>0</verstretch>
             </sizepolicy>
@@ -211,27 +211,27 @@
         <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="horizontalLayout_2">
          <item>
           <widget class="QLineEdit" name="enum_box">
+           <property name="sizePolicy">
+            <sizepolicy hsizetype="Expanding" vsizetype="Fixed">
+             <horstretch>0</horstretch>
+             <verstretch>0</verstretch>
+            </sizepolicy>
+           </property>
            <property name="toolTip">
             <string>A comma-separated list of permitted values. The empty value is always
 included, and is the default. For example, the list 'one,two,three' has
 four values, the first of them being the empty value.</string>
            </property>
-           <property name="sizePolicy">
-            <sizepolicy hsizetype="Maximum" vsizetype="Fixed">
-             <horstretch>0</horstretch>
-             <verstretch>0</verstretch>
-            </sizepolicy>
-           </property>
           </widget>
          </item>
          <item>
           <widget class="QLabel" name="enum_default_label">
-           <property name="text">
-            <string>Default: (nothing)</string>
-           </property>
            <property name="toolTip">
             <string>The empty string is always the first value</string>
            </property>
+           <property name="text">
+            <string>Default: (nothing)</string>
+           </property>
           </widget>
          </item>
         </layout>
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/search_box.py b/src/calibre/gui2/search_box.py
index c85dafc6d8..8849e2b2ec 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/search_box.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/search_box.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ from calibre.gui2.dialogs.confirm_delete import confirm
 from calibre.gui2.dialogs.saved_search_editor import SavedSearchEditor
 from calibre.gui2.dialogs.search import SearchDialog
 from calibre.utils.search_query_parser import saved_searches
+from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
 
 class SearchLineEdit(QLineEdit): # {{{
     key_pressed = pyqtSignal(object)
@@ -204,7 +205,7 @@ class SearchBox2(QComboBox): # {{{
         self.blockSignals(yes)
         self.line_edit.blockSignals(yes)
 
-    def set_search_string(self, txt, store_in_history=False):
+    def set_search_string(self, txt, store_in_history=False, emit_changed=True):
         self.setFocus(Qt.OtherFocusReason)
         if not txt:
             self.clear()
@@ -212,7 +213,8 @@ class SearchBox2(QComboBox): # {{{
             self.normalize_state()
             self.setEditText(txt)
             self.line_edit.end(False)
-            self.changed.emit()
+            if emit_changed:
+                self.changed.emit()
             self._do_search(store_in_history=store_in_history)
         self.focus_to_library.emit()
 
@@ -292,7 +294,7 @@ class SavedSearchBox(QComboBox): # {{{
             self.search_box.clear()
             self.setEditText(qname)
             return
-        self.search_box.set_search_string(u'search:"%s"' % qname)
+        self.search_box.set_search_string(u'search:"%s"' % qname, emit_changed=False)
         self.setEditText(qname)
         self.setToolTip(saved_searches().lookup(qname))
 
@@ -417,7 +419,7 @@ class SavedSearchBoxMixin(object): # {{{
             b.setStatusTip(b.toolTip())
 
     def saved_searches_changed(self):
-        p = sorted(saved_searches().names(), cmp=lambda x,y: cmp(x.lower(), y.lower()))
+        p = sorted(saved_searches().names(), key=sort_key)
         t = unicode(self.search_restriction.currentText())
         # rebuild the restrictions combobox using current saved searches
         self.search_restriction.clear()
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/shortcuts.py b/src/calibre/gui2/shortcuts.py
index 24395a22b6..bdd699a69d 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/shortcuts.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/shortcuts.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ from PyQt4.Qt import QAbstractListModel, Qt, QKeySequence, QListView, \
 
 from calibre.gui2 import NONE, error_dialog
 from calibre.utils.config import XMLConfig
+from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
 from calibre.gui2.shortcuts_ui import Ui_Frame
 
 DEFAULTS = Qt.UserRole
@@ -175,8 +176,7 @@ class Shortcuts(QAbstractListModel):
         for k, v in shortcuts.items():
             self.keys[k] = v[0]
         self.order = list(shortcuts)
-        self.order.sort(cmp=lambda x,y : cmp(self.descriptions[x],
-            self.descriptions[y]))
+        self.order.sort(key=lambda x : sort_key(self.descriptions[x]))
         self.sequences = {}
         for k, v in self.keys.items():
             self.sequences[k] = [QKeySequence(x) for x in v]
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/tag_view.py b/src/calibre/gui2/tag_view.py
index 768b699ca9..fdae1bdbc9 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/tag_view.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/tag_view.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ from PyQt4.Qt import Qt, QTreeView, QApplication, pyqtSignal, \
 from calibre.ebooks.metadata import title_sort
 from calibre.gui2 import config, NONE
 from calibre.library.field_metadata import TagsIcons, category_icon_map
+from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
 from calibre.utils.search_query_parser import saved_searches
 from calibre.gui2 import error_dialog
 from calibre.gui2.dialogs.confirm_delete import confirm
@@ -225,7 +226,7 @@ class TagsView(QTreeView): # {{{
                     partial(self.context_menu_handler, action='hide', category=category))
                 if self.hidden_categories:
                     m = self.context_menu.addMenu(_('Show category'))
-                    for col in sorted(self.hidden_categories, cmp=lambda x,y: cmp(x.lower(), y.lower())):
+                    for col in sorted(self.hidden_categories, key=sort_key):
                         m.addAction(col,
                             partial(self.context_menu_handler, action='show', category=col))
 
@@ -599,7 +600,8 @@ class TagsModel(QAbstractItemModel): # {{{
         # Reconstruct the user categories, putting them into metadata
         self.db.field_metadata.remove_dynamic_categories()
         tb_cats = self.db.field_metadata
-        for user_cat in sorted(self.db.prefs.get('user_categories', {}).keys()):
+        for user_cat in sorted(self.db.prefs.get('user_categories', {}).keys(),
+                               key=sort_key):
             cat_name = user_cat+':' # add the ':' to avoid name collision
             tb_cats.add_user_category(label=cat_name, name=user_cat)
         if len(saved_searches().names()):
@@ -878,13 +880,13 @@ class TagBrowserMixin(object): # {{{
         db=self.library_view.model().db
         if category == 'tags':
             result = db.get_tags_with_ids()
-            compare = (lambda x,y:cmp(x.lower(), y.lower()))
+            key = sort_key
         elif category == 'series':
             result = db.get_series_with_ids()
-            compare = (lambda x,y:cmp(title_sort(x).lower(), title_sort(y).lower()))
+            key = lambda x:sort_key(title_sort(x))
         elif category == 'publisher':
             result = db.get_publishers_with_ids()
-            compare = (lambda x,y:cmp(x.lower(), y.lower()))
+            key = sort_key
         else: # should be a custom field
             cc_label = None
             if category in db.field_metadata:
@@ -892,9 +894,9 @@ class TagBrowserMixin(object): # {{{
                 result = db.get_custom_items_with_ids(label=cc_label)
             else:
                 result = []
-            compare = (lambda x,y:cmp(x.lower(), y.lower()))
+            key = sort_key
 
-        d = TagListEditor(self, tag_to_match=tag, data=result, compare=compare)
+        d = TagListEditor(self, tag_to_match=tag, data=result, key=key)
         d.exec_()
         if d.result() == d.Accepted:
             to_rename = d.to_rename # dict of new text to old id
diff --git a/src/calibre/library/caches.py b/src/calibre/library/caches.py
index 7b4c66c8b8..7c1dea792c 100644
--- a/src/calibre/library/caches.py
+++ b/src/calibre/library/caches.py
@@ -796,11 +796,13 @@ class SortKey(object):
 class SortKeyGenerator(object):
 
     def __init__(self, fields, field_metadata, data):
+        from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
         self.field_metadata = field_metadata
         self.orders = [-1 if x[1] else 1 for x in fields]
         self.entries = [(x[0], field_metadata[x[0]]) for x in fields]
         self.library_order = tweaks['title_series_sorting'] == 'library_order'
         self.data = data
+        self.string_sort_key = sort_key
 
     def __call__(self, record):
         values = tuple(self.itervals(self.data[record]))
@@ -821,17 +823,14 @@ class SortKeyGenerator(object):
                 if val is None:
                     val = ('', 1)
                 else:
-                    val = val.lower()
                     if self.library_order:
                         val = title_sort(val)
                     sidx_fm = self.field_metadata[name + '_index']
                     sidx = record[sidx_fm['rec_index']]
-                    val = (val, sidx)
+                    val = (self.string_sort_key(val), sidx)
 
             elif dt in ('text', 'comments', 'composite', 'enumeration'):
-                if val is None:
-                    val = ''
-                val = val.lower()
+                val = self.string_sort_key(val)
 
             elif dt == 'bool':
                 val = {True: 1, False: 2, None: 3}.get(val, 3)
diff --git a/src/calibre/library/database2.py b/src/calibre/library/database2.py
index 4e05aa3a95..4efb5e6233 100644
--- a/src/calibre/library/database2.py
+++ b/src/calibre/library/database2.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ from operator import itemgetter
 
 from PyQt4.QtGui import QImage
 
+
 from calibre.ebooks.metadata import title_sort, author_to_author_sort
 from calibre.ebooks.metadata.opf2 import metadata_to_opf
 from calibre.library.database import LibraryDatabase
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ from calibre import isbytestring
 from calibre.utils.filenames import ascii_filename
 from calibre.utils.date import utcnow, now as nowf, utcfromtimestamp
 from calibre.utils.config import prefs, tweaks
+from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
 from calibre.utils.search_query_parser import saved_searches, set_saved_searches
 from calibre.ebooks import BOOK_EXTENSIONS, check_ebook_format
 from calibre.utils.magick.draw import save_cover_data_to
@@ -287,7 +289,7 @@ class LibraryDatabase2(LibraryDatabase, SchemaUpgrade, CustomColumns):
         # Assumption is that someone else will fix them if they change.
         self.field_metadata.remove_dynamic_categories()
         tb_cats = self.field_metadata
-        for user_cat in sorted(self.prefs.get('user_categories', {}).keys()):
+        for user_cat in sorted(self.prefs.get('user_categories', {}).keys(), key=sort_key):
             cat_name = user_cat+':' # add the ':' to avoid name collision
             tb_cats.add_user_category(label=cat_name, name=user_cat)
         if len(saved_searches().names()):
@@ -1065,7 +1067,7 @@ class LibraryDatabase2(LibraryDatabase, SchemaUpgrade, CustomColumns):
             if sort == 'popularity':
                 query += ' ORDER BY count DESC, sort ASC'
             elif sort == 'name':
-                query += ' ORDER BY sort ASC'
+                query += ' ORDER BY sort COLLATE icucollate'
             else:
                 query += ' ORDER BY avg_rating DESC, sort ASC'
             data = self.conn.get(query)
@@ -1137,6 +1139,7 @@ class LibraryDatabase2(LibraryDatabase, SchemaUpgrade, CustomColumns):
         if sort == 'popularity':
             categories['formats'].sort(key=lambda x: x.count, reverse=True)
         else: # no ratings exist to sort on
+            # No need for ICU here.
             categories['formats'].sort(key = lambda x:x.name)
 
         #### Now do the user-defined categories. ####
@@ -1151,7 +1154,7 @@ class LibraryDatabase2(LibraryDatabase, SchemaUpgrade, CustomColumns):
         for c in categories.keys():
             taglist[c] = dict(map(lambda t:(t.name, t), categories[c]))
 
-        for user_cat in sorted(user_categories.keys()):
+        for user_cat in sorted(user_categories.keys(), key=sort_key):
             items = []
             for (name,label,ign) in user_categories[user_cat]:
                 if label in taglist and name in taglist[label]:
@@ -1167,7 +1170,7 @@ class LibraryDatabase2(LibraryDatabase, SchemaUpgrade, CustomColumns):
                         sorted(items, key=lambda x: x.count, reverse=True)
                 elif sort == 'name':
                     categories[cat_name] = \
-                        sorted(items, key=lambda x: x.sort.lower())
+                        sorted(items, key=lambda x: sort_key(x.sort))
                 else:
                     categories[cat_name] = \
                         sorted(items, key=lambda x:x.avg_rating, reverse=True)
diff --git a/src/calibre/library/server/browse.py b/src/calibre/library/server/browse.py
index b6dbde4c77..0a3a7f6fd2 100644
--- a/src/calibre/library/server/browse.py
+++ b/src/calibre/library/server/browse.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ from calibre import isbytestring, force_unicode, fit_image, \
 from calibre.utils.ordered_dict import OrderedDict
 from calibre.utils.filenames import ascii_filename
 from calibre.utils.config import prefs
+from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
 from calibre.utils.magick import Image
 from calibre.library.comments import comments_to_html
 from calibre.library.server import custom_fields_to_display
@@ -273,7 +274,7 @@ class BrowseServer(object):
         opts = ['<option %svalue="%s">%s</option>' % (
             'selected="selected" ' if k==sort else '',
             xml(k), xml(n), ) for k, n in
-                sorted(sort_opts, key=operator.itemgetter(1)) if k and n]
+                sorted(sort_opts, key=lambda x: sort_key(operator.itemgetter(1)(x))) if k and n]
         ans = ans.replace('{sort_select_options}', ('\n'+' '*20).join(opts))
         lp = self.db.library_path
         if isbytestring(lp):
@@ -337,8 +338,7 @@ class BrowseServer(object):
             return category_meta[x]['name'].lower()
 
         displayed_custom_fields = custom_fields_to_display(self.db)
-        for category in sorted(categories,
-                    cmp=lambda x,y: cmp(getter(x), getter(y))):
+        for category in sorted(categories, key=lambda x: sort_key(getter(x))):
             if len(categories[category]) == 0:
                 continue
             if category == 'formats':
@@ -375,12 +375,7 @@ class BrowseServer(object):
     def browse_sort_categories(self, items, sort):
         if sort not in ('rating', 'name', 'popularity'):
             sort = 'name'
-        def sorter(x):
-            ans = getattr(x, 'sort', x.name)
-            if hasattr(ans, 'upper'):
-                ans = ans.upper()
-            return ans
-        items.sort(key=sorter)
+        items.sort(key=lambda x: sort_key(getattr(x, 'sort', x.name)))
         if sort == 'popularity':
             items.sort(key=operator.attrgetter('count'), reverse=True)
         elif sort == 'rating':
@@ -703,7 +698,7 @@ class BrowseServer(object):
                                 args[field]
                 fields.append((m['name'], r))
 
-            fields.sort(key=lambda x: x[0].lower())
+            fields.sort(key=lambda x: sort_key(x[0]))
             fields = [u'<div class="field">{0}</div>'.format(f[1]) for f in
                     fields]
             fields = u'<div class="fields">%s</div>'%('\n\n'.join(fields))
diff --git a/src/calibre/library/server/mobile.py b/src/calibre/library/server/mobile.py
index d38c2f206e..0992e6c30b 100644
--- a/src/calibre/library/server/mobile.py
+++ b/src/calibre/library/server/mobile.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ from calibre.constants import __appname__
 from calibre import human_readable, isbytestring
 from calibre.utils.date import utcfromtimestamp
 from calibre.utils.filenames import ascii_filename
+from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
 
 def CLASS(*args, **kwargs): # class is a reserved word in Python
     kwargs['class'] = ' '.join(args)
@@ -211,8 +212,7 @@ class MobileServer(object):
 
         CFM = self.db.field_metadata
         CKEYS = [key for key in sorted(custom_fields_to_display(self.db),
-             cmp=lambda x,y: cmp(CFM[x]['name'].lower(),
-                                 CFM[y]['name'].lower()))]
+                                       key=lambda x:sort_key(CFM[x]['name']))]
         # This method uses its own book dict, not the Metadata dict. The loop
         # below could be changed to use db.get_metadata instead of reading
         # info directly from the record made by the view, but it doesn't seem
diff --git a/src/calibre/library/server/opds.py b/src/calibre/library/server/opds.py
index 4b5db63ac3..af635ebf48 100644
--- a/src/calibre/library/server/opds.py
+++ b/src/calibre/library/server/opds.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ from calibre.library.comments import comments_to_html
 from calibre.library.server import custom_fields_to_display
 from calibre.library.server.utils import format_tag_string, Offsets
 from calibre import guess_type
+from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
 from calibre.utils.ordered_dict import OrderedDict
 
 BASE_HREFS = {
@@ -279,8 +280,7 @@ class AcquisitionFeed(NavFeed):
         NavFeed.__init__(self, id_, updated, version, offsets, page_url, up_url)
         CFM = db.field_metadata
         CKEYS = [key for key in sorted(custom_fields_to_display(db),
-                 cmp=lambda x,y: cmp(CFM[x]['name'].lower(),
-                                     CFM[y]['name'].lower()))]
+                                       key=lambda x: sort_key(CFM[x]['name']))]
         for item in items:
             self.root.append(ACQUISITION_ENTRY(item, version, db, updated,
                                                CFM, CKEYS, prefix))
@@ -492,7 +492,7 @@ class OPDSServer(object):
                     val = 'A'
                 starts.add(val[0].upper())
             category_groups = OrderedDict()
-            for x in sorted(starts, cmp=lambda x,y:cmp(x.lower(), y.lower())):
+            for x in sorted(starts, key=sort_key):
                 category_groups[x] = len([y for y in items if
                     getattr(y, 'sort', y.name).startswith(x)])
             items = [Group(x, y) for x, y in category_groups.items()]
@@ -571,8 +571,7 @@ class OPDSServer(object):
                 ]
         def getter(x):
             return category_meta[x]['name'].lower()
-        for category in sorted(categories,
-                               cmp=lambda x,y: cmp(getter(x), getter(y))):
+        for category in sorted(categories, key=lambda x: sort_key(getter(x))):
             if len(categories[category]) == 0:
                 continue
             if category == 'formats':
diff --git a/src/calibre/library/server/utils.py b/src/calibre/library/server/utils.py
index 1407487db3..e58dd2f19b 100644
--- a/src/calibre/library/server/utils.py
+++ b/src/calibre/library/server/utils.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import cherrypy
 from calibre import strftime as _strftime, prints, isbytestring
 from calibre.utils.date import now as nowf
 from calibre.utils.config import tweaks
+from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
 
 class Offsets(object):
     'Calculate offsets for a paginated view'
@@ -73,7 +74,7 @@ def format_tag_string(tags, sep, ignore_max=False, no_tag_count=False):
         tlist = [t.strip() for t in tags.split(sep)]
     else:
         tlist = []
-    tlist.sort(cmp=lambda x,y:cmp(x.lower(), y.lower()))
+    tlist.sort(key=sort_key)
     if len(tlist) > MAX:
         tlist = tlist[:MAX]+['...']
     if no_tag_count:
diff --git a/src/calibre/library/server/xml.py b/src/calibre/library/server/xml.py
index e99fc2839c..efbceb9771 100644
--- a/src/calibre/library/server/xml.py
+++ b/src/calibre/library/server/xml.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ from calibre.ebooks.metadata import fmt_sidx
 from calibre.constants import preferred_encoding
 from calibre import isbytestring
 from calibre.utils.filenames import ascii_filename
+from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
 
 E = ElementMaker()
 
@@ -101,8 +102,7 @@ class XMLServer(object):
 
             CFM = self.db.field_metadata
             CKEYS = [key for key in sorted(custom_fields_to_display(self.db),
-                 cmp=lambda x,y: cmp(CFM[x]['name'].lower(),
-                                     CFM[y]['name'].lower()))]
+                                           key=lambda x: sort_key(CFM[x]['name']))]
             custcols = []
             for key in CKEYS:
                 def concat(name, val):
diff --git a/src/calibre/library/sqlite.py b/src/calibre/library/sqlite.py
index 7a86447090..b4cad8061e 100644
--- a/src/calibre/library/sqlite.py
+++ b/src/calibre/library/sqlite.py
@@ -115,6 +115,9 @@ def pynocase(one, two, encoding='utf-8'):
             pass
     return cmp(one.lower(), two.lower())
 
+def icu_collator(s1, s2, func=None):
+    return cmp(func(unicode(s1)), func(unicode(s2)))
+
 def load_c_extensions(conn, debug=DEBUG):
     try:
         conn.enable_load_extension(True)
@@ -166,6 +169,8 @@ class DBThread(Thread):
         self.conn.create_function('uuid4', 0, lambda : str(uuid.uuid4()))
         # Dummy functions for dynamically created filters
         self.conn.create_function('books_list_filter', 1, lambda x: 1)
+        from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
+        self.conn.create_collation('icucollate', partial(icu_collator, func=sort_key))
 
     def run(self):
         try:
diff --git a/src/calibre/utils/icu.c b/src/calibre/utils/icu.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..51d9ac25ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/calibre/utils/icu.c
@@ -0,0 +1,421 @@
+#define UNICODE
+#define PY_SSIZE_T_CLEAN
+#include <Python.h>
+#include <unicode/utypes.h>
+#include <unicode/uclean.h>
+#include <unicode/ucol.h>
+#include <unicode/ustring.h>
+
+
+// Collator object definition {{{
+typedef struct {
+    PyObject_HEAD
+    // Type-specific fields go here.
+    UCollator *collator;
+
+} icu_Collator;
+
+static void
+icu_Collator_dealloc(icu_Collator* self)
+{
+    if (self->collator != NULL) ucol_close(self->collator);
+    self->collator = NULL;
+    self->ob_type->tp_free((PyObject*)self);
+}
+
+static PyObject *
+icu_Collator_new(PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
+{
+    icu_Collator *self;
+    const char *loc;
+    UErrorCode status = U_ZERO_ERROR;
+
+    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "s", &loc)) return NULL;
+
+    self = (icu_Collator *)type->tp_alloc(type, 0);
+    if (self != NULL) {
+        self->collator = ucol_open(loc, &status);
+        if (self->collator == NULL || U_FAILURE(status)) { 
+            PyErr_SetString(PyExc_Exception, "Failed to create collator.");
+            self->collator = NULL;
+            Py_DECREF(self);
+            return NULL;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return (PyObject *)self;
+}
+
+// Collator.display_name {{{
+static PyObject *
+icu_Collator_display_name(icu_Collator *self, void *closure) {
+    const char *loc = NULL;
+    UErrorCode status = U_ZERO_ERROR;
+    UChar dname[400];
+    char buf[100];
+
+    loc = ucol_getLocaleByType(self->collator, ULOC_ACTUAL_LOCALE, &status);
+    if (loc == NULL || U_FAILURE(status)) {
+        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_Exception, "Failed to get actual locale"); return NULL;
+    }
+    ucol_getDisplayName(loc, "en", dname, 100, &status);
+    if (U_FAILURE(status)) return PyErr_NoMemory();
+
+    u_strToUTF8(buf, 100, NULL, dname, -1, &status);
+    if (U_FAILURE(status)) {
+        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_Exception, "Failed ot convert dname to UTF-8"); return NULL;
+    }
+    return Py_BuildValue("s", buf);
+}
+
+// }}}
+
+// Collator.actual_locale {{{
+static PyObject *
+icu_Collator_actual_locale(icu_Collator *self, void *closure) {
+    const char *loc = NULL;
+    UErrorCode status = U_ZERO_ERROR;
+
+    loc = ucol_getLocaleByType(self->collator, ULOC_ACTUAL_LOCALE, &status);
+    if (loc == NULL || U_FAILURE(status)) {
+        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_Exception, "Failed to get actual locale"); return NULL;
+    }
+    return Py_BuildValue("s", loc);
+}
+
+// }}}
+
+// Collator.sort_key {{{
+static PyObject *
+icu_Collator_sort_key(icu_Collator *self, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwargs) {
+    char *input;
+    Py_ssize_t sz;
+    UChar *buf;
+    uint8_t *buf2;
+    PyObject *ans;
+    int32_t key_size;
+    UErrorCode status = U_ZERO_ERROR;
+  
+    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "es", "UTF-8", &input)) return NULL;
+
+    sz = strlen(input);
+
+    buf = (UChar*)calloc(sz*4 + 1, sizeof(UChar));
+
+    if (buf == NULL) return PyErr_NoMemory();
+
+    u_strFromUTF8(buf, sz*4 + 1, &key_size, input, sz, &status);
+    PyMem_Free(input);
+
+    if (U_SUCCESS(status)) {
+        buf2 = (uint8_t*)calloc(7*sz+1, sizeof(uint8_t));
+        if (buf2 == NULL) return PyErr_NoMemory();
+
+        key_size = ucol_getSortKey(self->collator, buf, -1, buf2, 7*sz+1);
+
+        if (key_size == 0) {
+            ans = PyBytes_FromString("");
+        } else {
+            if (key_size >= 7*sz+1) {
+                free(buf2);
+                buf2 = (uint8_t*)calloc(key_size+1, sizeof(uint8_t));
+                if (buf2 == NULL) return PyErr_NoMemory();
+                ucol_getSortKey(self->collator, buf, -1, buf2, key_size+1);
+            }
+            ans = PyBytes_FromString((char *)buf2);
+        }
+        free(buf2);
+    } else ans = PyBytes_FromString("");
+
+    free(buf);
+    if (ans == NULL) return PyErr_NoMemory();
+
+    return ans;
+} // }}}
+
+// Collator.strcmp {{{
+static PyObject *
+icu_Collator_strcmp(icu_Collator *self, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwargs) {
+    char *a_, *b_;
+    size_t asz, bsz;
+    UChar *a, *b;
+    UErrorCode status = U_ZERO_ERROR;
+    UCollationResult res = UCOL_EQUAL;
+  
+    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "eses", "UTF-8", &a_, "UTF-8", &b_)) return NULL;
+    
+    asz = strlen(a_); bsz = strlen(b_);
+
+    a = (UChar*)calloc(asz*4 + 1, sizeof(UChar));
+    b = (UChar*)calloc(bsz*4 + 1, sizeof(UChar));
+
+
+    if (a == NULL || b == NULL) return PyErr_NoMemory();
+
+    u_strFromUTF8(a, asz*4 + 1, NULL, a_, asz, &status);
+    u_strFromUTF8(b, bsz*4 + 1, NULL, b_, bsz, &status);
+    PyMem_Free(a_); PyMem_Free(b_);
+
+    if (U_SUCCESS(status))
+        res = ucol_strcoll(self->collator, a, -1, b, -1);
+
+    free(a); free(b);
+
+    return Py_BuildValue("i", res);
+} // }}}
+
+
+
+static PyMethodDef icu_Collator_methods[] = {
+    {"sort_key", (PyCFunction)icu_Collator_sort_key, METH_VARARGS,
+     "sort_key(unicode object) -> Return a sort key for the given object as a bytestring. The idea is that these bytestring will sort using the builtin cmp function, just like the original unicode strings would sort in the current locale with ICU."
+    },
+
+    {"strcmp", (PyCFunction)icu_Collator_strcmp, METH_VARARGS,
+     "strcmp(unicode object, unicode object) -> strcmp(a, b) <=> cmp(sorty_key(a), sort_key(b)), but faster."
+    },
+
+    {NULL}  /* Sentinel */
+};
+
+static PyGetSetDef  icu_Collator_getsetters[] = {
+    {(char *)"actual_locale", 
+     (getter)icu_Collator_actual_locale, NULL,
+     (char *)"Actual locale used by this collator.",
+     NULL},
+
+    {(char *)"display_name", 
+     (getter)icu_Collator_display_name, NULL,
+     (char *)"Display name of this collator in English. The name reflects the actual data source used.",
+     NULL},
+
+    {NULL}  /* Sentinel */
+};
+
+static PyTypeObject icu_CollatorType = { // {{{
+    PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
+    0,                         /*ob_size*/
+    "icu.Collator",            /*tp_name*/
+    sizeof(icu_Collator),      /*tp_basicsize*/
+    0,                         /*tp_itemsize*/
+    (destructor)icu_Collator_dealloc, /*tp_dealloc*/
+    0,                         /*tp_print*/
+    0,                         /*tp_getattr*/
+    0,                         /*tp_setattr*/
+    0,                         /*tp_compare*/
+    0,                         /*tp_repr*/
+    0,                         /*tp_as_number*/
+    0,                         /*tp_as_sequence*/
+    0,                         /*tp_as_mapping*/
+    0,                         /*tp_hash */
+    0,                         /*tp_call*/
+    0,                         /*tp_str*/
+    0,                         /*tp_getattro*/
+    0,                         /*tp_setattro*/
+    0,                         /*tp_as_buffer*/
+    Py_TPFLAGS_DEFAULT|Py_TPFLAGS_BASETYPE,        /*tp_flags*/
+    "Collator",                  /* tp_doc */
+    0,		               /* tp_traverse */
+    0,		               /* tp_clear */
+    0,		               /* tp_richcompare */
+    0,		               /* tp_weaklistoffset */
+    0,		               /* tp_iter */
+    0,		               /* tp_iternext */
+    icu_Collator_methods,             /* tp_methods */
+    0,             /* tp_members */
+    icu_Collator_getsetters,                         /* tp_getset */
+    0,                         /* tp_base */
+    0,                         /* tp_dict */
+    0,                         /* tp_descr_get */
+    0,                         /* tp_descr_set */
+    0,                         /* tp_dictoffset */
+    0,      /* tp_init */
+    0,                         /* tp_alloc */
+    icu_Collator_new,                 /* tp_new */
+}; // }}}
+
+// }}
+
+
+// }}}
+
+// }}}
+
+// Module initialization {{{
+
+// upper {{{
+static PyObject *
+icu_upper(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {
+    char *input, *ans, *buf3 = NULL;
+    const char *loc;
+    size_t sz;
+    UChar *buf, *buf2;
+    PyObject *ret;
+    UErrorCode status = U_ZERO_ERROR;
+  
+
+    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "ses", &loc, "UTF-8", &input)) return NULL;
+    
+    sz = strlen(input);
+
+    buf = (UChar*)calloc(sz*4 + 1, sizeof(UChar));
+    buf2 = (UChar*)calloc(sz*8 + 1, sizeof(UChar));
+
+
+    if (buf == NULL || buf2 == NULL) return PyErr_NoMemory();
+
+    u_strFromUTF8(buf, sz*4, NULL, input, sz, &status);
+    u_strToUpper(buf2, sz*8, buf, -1, loc, &status);
+
+    ans = input;
+    sz = u_strlen(buf2);
+    free(buf);
+
+    if (U_SUCCESS(status) && sz > 0) {
+        buf3 = (char*)calloc(sz*5+1, sizeof(char));
+        if (buf3 == NULL) return PyErr_NoMemory();
+        u_strToUTF8(buf3, sz*5, NULL, buf2, -1, &status);
+        if (U_SUCCESS(status)) ans = buf3;
+    }
+
+    ret = PyUnicode_DecodeUTF8(ans, strlen(ans), "replace");
+    if (ret == NULL) return PyErr_NoMemory();
+
+    free(buf2);
+    if (buf3 != NULL) free(buf3);
+    PyMem_Free(input);
+
+    return ret;
+}
+
+// lower {{{
+static PyObject *
+icu_lower(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {
+    char *input, *ans, *buf3 = NULL;
+    const char *loc;
+    size_t sz;
+    UChar *buf, *buf2;
+    PyObject *ret;
+    UErrorCode status = U_ZERO_ERROR;
+  
+
+    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "ses", &loc, "UTF-8", &input)) return NULL;
+    
+    sz = strlen(input);
+
+    buf = (UChar*)calloc(sz*4 + 1, sizeof(UChar));
+    buf2 = (UChar*)calloc(sz*8 + 1, sizeof(UChar));
+
+
+    if (buf == NULL || buf2 == NULL) return PyErr_NoMemory();
+
+    u_strFromUTF8(buf, sz*4, NULL, input, sz, &status);
+    u_strToLower(buf2, sz*8, buf, -1, loc, &status);
+
+    ans = input;
+    sz = u_strlen(buf2);
+    free(buf);
+
+    if (U_SUCCESS(status) && sz > 0) {
+        buf3 = (char*)calloc(sz*5+1, sizeof(char));
+        if (buf3 == NULL) return PyErr_NoMemory();
+        u_strToUTF8(buf3, sz*5, NULL, buf2, -1, &status);
+        if (U_SUCCESS(status)) ans = buf3;
+    }
+
+    ret = PyUnicode_DecodeUTF8(ans, strlen(ans), "replace");
+    if (ret == NULL) return PyErr_NoMemory();
+
+    free(buf2);
+    if (buf3 != NULL) free(buf3);
+    PyMem_Free(input);
+
+    return ret;
+}
+
+// title {{{
+static PyObject *
+icu_title(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {
+    char *input, *ans, *buf3 = NULL;
+    const char *loc;
+    size_t sz;
+    UChar *buf, *buf2;
+    PyObject *ret;
+    UErrorCode status = U_ZERO_ERROR;
+  
+
+    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "ses", &loc, "UTF-8", &input)) return NULL;
+    
+    sz = strlen(input);
+
+    buf = (UChar*)calloc(sz*4 + 1, sizeof(UChar));
+    buf2 = (UChar*)calloc(sz*8 + 1, sizeof(UChar));
+
+
+    if (buf == NULL || buf2 == NULL) return PyErr_NoMemory();
+
+    u_strFromUTF8(buf, sz*4, NULL, input, sz, &status);
+    u_strToTitle(buf2, sz*8, buf, -1, NULL, loc, &status);
+
+    ans = input;
+    sz = u_strlen(buf2);
+    free(buf);
+
+    if (U_SUCCESS(status) && sz > 0) {
+        buf3 = (char*)calloc(sz*5+1, sizeof(char));
+        if (buf3 == NULL) return PyErr_NoMemory();
+        u_strToUTF8(buf3, sz*5, NULL, buf2, -1, &status);
+        if (U_SUCCESS(status)) ans = buf3;
+    }
+
+    ret = PyUnicode_DecodeUTF8(ans, strlen(ans), "replace");
+    if (ret == NULL) return PyErr_NoMemory();
+
+    free(buf2);
+    if (buf3 != NULL) free(buf3);
+    PyMem_Free(input);
+
+    return ret;
+}
+
+
+
+static PyMethodDef icu_methods[] = {
+    {"upper", icu_upper, METH_VARARGS,
+        "upper(locale, unicode object) -> upper cased unicode object using locale rules."
+    },
+
+    {"lower", icu_lower, METH_VARARGS,
+        "lower(locale, unicode object) -> lower cased unicode object using locale rules."
+    },
+
+    {"title", icu_title, METH_VARARGS,
+        "title(locale, unicode object) -> Title cased unicode object using locale rules."
+    },
+
+    {NULL}  /* Sentinel */
+};
+
+
+PyMODINIT_FUNC
+initicu(void) 
+{
+    PyObject* m;
+    UErrorCode status = U_ZERO_ERROR;
+
+    u_init(&status);
+
+
+    if (PyType_Ready(&icu_CollatorType) < 0)
+        return;
+
+    m = Py_InitModule3("icu", icu_methods,
+                       "Wrapper for the ICU internationalization library");
+
+    Py_INCREF(&icu_CollatorType);
+    PyModule_AddObject(m, "Collator", (PyObject *)&icu_CollatorType);
+    // uint8_t must be the same size as char
+    PyModule_AddIntConstant(m, "ok", (U_SUCCESS(status) && sizeof(uint8_t) == sizeof(char)) ? 1 : 0);
+
+}
+// }}}
diff --git a/src/calibre/utils/icu.py b/src/calibre/utils/icu.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d7760671c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/calibre/utils/icu.py
@@ -0,0 +1,229 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+# vim:fileencoding=UTF-8:ts=4:sw=4:sta:et:sts=4:ai
+
+__license__   = 'GPL v3'
+__copyright__ = '2010, Kovid Goyal <kovid@kovidgoyal.net>'
+__docformat__ = 'restructuredtext en'
+
+# Setup code {{{
+from functools import partial
+
+from calibre.constants import plugins
+from calibre.utils.config import tweaks
+
+_icu = _collator = None
+_locale = None
+
+_none = u''
+_none2 = b''
+
+def get_locale():
+    global _locale
+    if _locale is None:
+        from calibre.utils.localization import get_lang
+        if tweaks['locale_for_sorting']:
+            _locale = tweaks['locale_for_sorting']
+        else:
+            _locale = get_lang()
+    return _locale
+
+def load_icu():
+    global _icu
+    if _icu is None:
+        _icu = plugins['icu'][0]
+        if _icu is None:
+            print plugins['icu'][1]
+        else:
+            if not _icu.ok:
+                print 'icu not ok'
+                _icu = None
+    return _icu
+
+def load_collator():
+    global _collator
+    if _collator is None:
+        icu = load_icu()
+        if icu is not None:
+            _collator = icu.Collator(get_locale())
+    return _collator
+
+
+def py_sort_key(obj):
+    if not obj:
+        return _none
+    return obj.lower()
+
+def icu_sort_key(collator, obj):
+    if not obj:
+        return _none2
+    return collator.sort_key(obj.lower())
+
+def py_case_sensitive_sort_key(obj):
+    if not obj:
+        return _none
+    return obj
+
+def icu_case_sensitive_sort_key(collator, obj):
+    if not obj:
+        return _none2
+    return collator.sort_key(obj)
+
+def icu_strcmp(collator, a, b):
+    return collator.strcmp(a.lower(), b.lower())
+
+def py_strcmp(a, b):
+    return cmp(a.lower(), b.lower())
+
+def icu_case_sensitive_strcmp(collator, a, b):
+    return collator.strcmp(a, b)
+
+
+load_icu()
+load_collator()
+_icu_not_ok = _icu is None or _collator is None
+
+# }}}
+
+################# The string functions ########################################
+
+sort_key = py_sort_key if _icu_not_ok else partial(icu_sort_key, _collator)
+
+strcmp = py_strcmp if _icu_not_ok else partial(icu_strcmp, _collator)
+
+case_sensitive_sort_key = py_case_sensitive_sort_key if _icu_not_ok else \
+        icu_case_sensitive_sort_key
+
+case_sensitive_strcmp = cmp if _icu_not_ok else icu_case_sensitive_strcmp
+
+upper = (lambda s: s.upper()) if _icu_not_ok else \
+    partial(_icu.upper, get_locale())
+
+lower = (lambda s: s.lower()) if _icu_not_ok else \
+    partial(_icu.lower, get_locale())
+
+title_case = (lambda s: s.title()) if _icu_not_ok else \
+    partial(_icu.title, get_locale())
+
+################################################################################
+
+def test(): # {{{
+    # Data {{{
+    german = '''
+    Sonntag
+Montag
+Dienstag
+Januar
+Februar
+März
+Fuße
+Fluße
+Flusse
+flusse
+fluße
+flüße
+flüsse
+'''
+    german_good = '''
+    Dienstag
+Februar
+flusse
+Flusse
+fluße
+Fluße
+flüsse
+flüße
+Fuße
+Januar
+März
+Montag
+Sonntag'''
+    french = '''
+dimanche
+lundi
+mardi
+janvier
+février
+mars
+déjà
+Meme
+deja
+même
+dejà
+bpef
+bœg
+Boef
+Mémé
+bœf
+boef
+bnef
+pêche
+pèché
+pêché
+pêche
+pêché'''
+    french_good = '''
+            bnef
+        boef
+        Boef
+        bœf
+        bœg
+        bpef
+        deja
+        dejà
+        déjà
+        dimanche
+        février
+        janvier
+        lundi
+        mardi
+        mars
+        Meme
+        Mémé
+        même
+        pèché
+        pêche
+        pêche
+        pêché
+        pêché'''
+    # }}}
+
+    def create(l):
+        l = l.decode('utf-8').splitlines()
+        return [x.strip() for x in l if x.strip()]
+
+    def test_strcmp(entries):
+        for x in entries:
+            for y in entries:
+                if strcmp(x, y) != cmp(sort_key(x), sort_key(y)):
+                    print 'strcmp failed for %r, %r'%(x, y)
+
+    german = create(german)
+    c = _icu.Collator('de')
+    print 'Sorted german:: (%s)'%c.actual_locale
+    gs = list(sorted(german, key=c.sort_key))
+    for x in gs:
+        print '\t', x.encode('utf-8')
+    if gs != create(german_good):
+        print 'German failed'
+        return
+    print
+    french = create(french)
+    c = _icu.Collator('fr')
+    print 'Sorted french:: (%s)'%c.actual_locale
+    fs = list(sorted(french, key=c.sort_key))
+    for x in fs:
+        print '\t', x.encode('utf-8')
+    if fs != create(french_good):
+        print 'French failed (note that French fails with icu < 4.6 i.e. on windows and OS X)'
+        return
+    test_strcmp(german + french)
+
+    print '\nTesting case transforms in current locale'
+    for x in ('a', 'Alice\'s code'):
+        print 'Upper:', x, '->', 'py:', x.upper().encode('utf-8'), 'icu:', upper(x).encode('utf-8')
+        print 'Lower:', x, '->', 'py:', x.lower().encode('utf-8'), 'icu:', lower(x).encode('utf-8')
+        print 'Title:', x, '->', 'py:', x.title().encode('utf-8'), 'icu:', title_case(x).encode('utf-8')
+        print
+
+# }}}
+
diff --git a/src/calibre/utils/magick/magick.c b/src/calibre/utils/magick/magick.c
index 0aab5f1fd7..9dac37f2ff 100644
--- a/src/calibre/utils/magick/magick.c
+++ b/src/calibre/utils/magick/magick.c
@@ -414,7 +414,7 @@ magick_Image_load(magick_Image *self, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwargs) {
 
 // }}}
 
-// Image.load {{{
+// Image.open {{{
 static PyObject *
 magick_Image_read(magick_Image *self, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwargs) {
     const char *data;
diff --git a/src/calibre/utils/search_query_parser.py b/src/calibre/utils/search_query_parser.py
index 85a64956a8..db7c7bde5f 100644
--- a/src/calibre/utils/search_query_parser.py
+++ b/src/calibre/utils/search_query_parser.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ from calibre.utils.pyparsing import CaselessKeyword, Group, Forward, \
         CharsNotIn, Suppress, OneOrMore, MatchFirst, CaselessLiteral, \
         Optional, NoMatch, ParseException, QuotedString
 from calibre.constants import preferred_encoding
+from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
 
 
 
@@ -65,8 +66,7 @@ class SavedSearchQueries(object):
         self.db.prefs[self.opt_name] = self.queries
 
     def names(self):
-        return sorted(self.queries.keys(),
-                cmp=lambda x,y: cmp(x.lower(), y.lower()))
+        return sorted(self.queries.keys(),key=sort_key)
 
 '''
 Create a global instance of the saved searches. It is global so that the searches
diff --git a/src/calibre/web/feeds/templates.py b/src/calibre/web/feeds/templates.py
index 6e8168be31..eefd897614 100644
--- a/src/calibre/web/feeds/templates.py
+++ b/src/calibre/web/feeds/templates.py
@@ -115,14 +115,14 @@ class FeedTemplate(Template):
             hr.tail = '| '
 
         if f+1 < len(feeds):
-            link = A('Next section', href='../feed_%d/index.html'%(f+1))
+            link = A(_('Next section'), href='../feed_%d/index.html'%(f+1))
             link.tail = ' | '
             navbar.append(link)
-        link = A('Main menu', href="../index.html")
+        link = A(_('Main menu'), href="../index.html")
         link.tail = ' | '
         navbar.append(link)
         if f > 0:
-            link = A('Previous section', href='../feed_%d/index.html'%(f-1))
+            link = A(_('Previous section'), href='../feed_%d/index.html'%(f-1))
             link.tail = ' |'
             navbar.append(link)
         if top:
@@ -208,17 +208,17 @@ class NavBarTemplate(Template):
             up = '../..' if art == number_of_articles_in_feed - 1 else '..'
             href = '%s%s/%s/index.html'%(prefix, up, next)
             navbar.text = '| '
-            navbar.append(A('Next', href=href))
+            navbar.append(A(_('Next'), href=href))
         href = '%s../index.html#article_%d'%(prefix, art)
         navbar.iterchildren(reversed=True).next().tail = ' | '
-        navbar.append(A('Section Menu', href=href))
+        navbar.append(A(_('Section Menu'), href=href))
         href = '%s../../index.html#feed_%d'%(prefix, feed)
         navbar.iterchildren(reversed=True).next().tail = ' | '
-        navbar.append(A('Main Menu', href=href))
+        navbar.append(A(_('Main Menu'), href=href))
         if art > 0 and not bottom:
             href = '%s../article_%d/index.html'%(prefix, art-1)
             navbar.iterchildren(reversed=True).next().tail = ' | '
-            navbar.append(A('Previous', href=href))
+            navbar.append(A(_('Previous'), href=href))
         navbar.iterchildren(reversed=True).next().tail = ' | '
         if not bottom:
             navbar.append(HR())
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ class TouchscreenFeedTemplate(Template):
         navbar_tr.append(TD(CLASS('feed_prev'),link))
 
         # Up to Sections
-        link = A('Sections', href="../index.html")
+        link = A(_('Sections'), href="../index.html")
         navbar_tr.append(TD(CLASS('feed_up'),link))
 
         # Next Section
@@ -381,16 +381,16 @@ class TouchscreenNavBarTemplate(Template):
 
         # | Previous
         if art > 0:
-            link = A(CLASS('article_link'),'Previous',href='%s../article_%d/index.html'%(prefix, art-1))
+            link = A(CLASS('article_link'),_('Previous'),href='%s../article_%d/index.html'%(prefix, art-1))
             navbar_tr.append(TD(CLASS('article_prev'),link))
         else:
             navbar_tr.append(TD(CLASS('article_prev'),''))
 
         # | Articles | Sections |
-        link = A(CLASS('articles_link'),'Articles', href='%s../index.html#article_%d'%(prefix, art))
+        link = A(CLASS('articles_link'),_('Articles'), href='%s../index.html#article_%d'%(prefix, art))
         navbar_tr.append(TD(CLASS('article_articles_list'),link))
 
-        link = A(CLASS('sections_link'),'Sections', href='%s../../index.html#feed_%d'%(prefix, feed))
+        link = A(CLASS('sections_link'),_('Sections'), href='%s../../index.html#feed_%d'%(prefix, feed))
         navbar_tr.append(TD(CLASS('article_sections_list'),link))
 
         # | Next
@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ class TouchscreenNavBarTemplate(Template):
                 else 'article_%d'%(art+1)
         up = '../..' if art == number_of_articles_in_feed - 1 else '..'
 
-        link = A(CLASS('article_link'),'Next', href='%s%s/%s/index.html'%(prefix, up, next))
+        link = A(CLASS('article_link'), _('Next'), href='%s%s/%s/index.html'%(prefix, up, next))
         navbar_tr.append(TD(CLASS('article_next'),link))
         navbar_t.append(navbar_tr)
         navbar.append(navbar_t)