diff --git a/manual/template_lang.rst b/manual/template_lang.rst
index c9956cf177..548c248d13 100644
--- a/manual/template_lang.rst
+++ b/manual/template_lang.rst
@@ -340,6 +340,16 @@ The following functions are available in addition to those described in single-f
 
     * ``round(x)`` -- returns the nearest integer to x. Throws an exception if x is not a number.
     * ``series_sort()`` -- returns the series sort value.
+    * ``'split(list_val, sep, id_prefix)`` -- splits the ``list_val`` into separate values using ``sep``, then assigns the values to variables named ``id_prefix_N`` where N is the position of the value in the list. The first item has position 0 (zero). The function returns the last element in the list. Example::
+    
+        split('one, two, foo', ',', 'var')
+        
+    is equivalent to::
+    
+        var_0 = 'one';
+        var_1 = 'two';
+        var_3 = 'foo
+        
     * ``strcat(a, b, ...)`` -- can take any number of arguments. Returns a string formed by concatenating all the arguments.
     * ``strcat_max(max, string1, prefix2, string2, ...)`` -- Returns a string formed by concatenating the arguments. The returned value is initialized to string1. `Prefix, string` pairs are added to the end of the value as long as the resulting string length is less than `max`. String1 is returned even if string1 is longer than max. You can pass as many `prefix, string` pairs as you wish.
     * ``strcmp(x, y, lt, eq, gt)`` -- does a case-insensitive comparison x and y as strings. Returns ``lt`` if x < y. Returns ``eq`` if x == y. Otherwise returns ``gt``.
diff --git a/src/calibre/utils/formatter_functions.py b/src/calibre/utils/formatter_functions.py
index e0513c2922..7e1ebd09f1 100644
--- a/src/calibre/utils/formatter_functions.py
+++ b/src/calibre/utils/formatter_functions.py
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ class BuiltinFormatterFunction(FormatterFunction):
     def __init__(self):
         formatter_functions().register_builtin(self)
         eval_func = inspect.getmembers(self.__class__,
-                        lambda x: inspect.ismethod(x) and x.__name__ == 'evaluate')
+                        lambda x: inspect.isfunction(x) and x.__name__ == 'evaluate')
         try:
             lines = [l[4:] for l in inspect.getsourcelines(eval_func[0][1])[0]]
         except:
@@ -404,6 +404,26 @@ class BuiltinAssign(BuiltinFormatterFunction):
         return value
 
 
+class BuiltinListSplit(BuiltinFormatterFunction):
+    name = 'list_split'
+    arg_count = 3
+    category = 'List manipulation'
+    __doc__ = doc = _('split(list_val, sep, id_prefix) -- splits the list_val '
+                    "into separate values using 'sep', then assigns the values "
+                    "to variables named 'id_prefix_N' where N is the position "
+                    "of the value in the list. The first item has position 0 (zero). "
+                    "The function returns the last element in the list. "
+                    "Example: split('one, two, foo', ',', 'var') is equivalent "
+                    "to var_0 = 'one'; var_1 = 'two'; var_3 = 'foo'.")
+
+    def evaluate(self, formatter, kwargs, mi, locals, list_val, sep, id_prefix):
+        l = [v.strip() for v in list_val.split(sep)]
+        res = ''
+        for i,v in enumerate(l):
+            res = locals[id_prefix+'_'+unicode_type(i)] = v
+        return res
+
+
 class BuiltinPrint(BuiltinFormatterFunction):
     name = 'print'
     arg_count = -1
@@ -1885,7 +1905,8 @@ _formatter_builtins = [
     BuiltinIfempty(), BuiltinLanguageCodes(), BuiltinLanguageStrings(),
     BuiltinInList(), BuiltinListDifference(), BuiltinListEquals(),
     BuiltinListIntersection(), BuiltinListitem(), BuiltinListRe(),
-    BuiltinListReGroup(), BuiltinListSort(), BuiltinListUnion(), BuiltinLookup(),
+    BuiltinListReGroup(), BuiltinListSort(), BuiltinListSplit(), BuiltinListUnion(),
+    BuiltinLookup(),
     BuiltinLowercase(), BuiltinMod(), BuiltinMultiply(), BuiltinNot(), BuiltinOndevice(),
     BuiltinOr(), BuiltinPrint(), BuiltinRatingToStars(), BuiltinRawField(), BuiltinRawList(),
     BuiltinRe(), BuiltinReGroup(), BuiltinRound(), BuiltinSelect(), BuiltinSeriesSort(),