diff --git a/manual/template_lang.rst b/manual/template_lang.rst
index 8fabe7b7c6..0f307df566 100644
--- a/manual/template_lang.rst
+++ b/manual/template_lang.rst
@@ -228,9 +228,12 @@ General Program Mode
     times_div_expr  ::= unary_op_expr [ times_div_op unary_op_expr ]*
     times_div_op    ::= '*' | '/'
     unary_op_expr   ::= [ add_sub_op unary_op_expr ]* | expression
-    expression      ::= identifier | constant | function | assignment |
+    expression      ::= identifier | constant | function | assignment | field_reference |
                         if_expression | for_expression | '(' expression_list ')'
-    identifier      ::= sequence of letters or ``_`` characters
+    field_reference ::= '$' [ '$' ] [ '#' ] identifier
+    identifier      ::= id_start [ id_rest ]*
+    id_start        ::= letter | underscore
+    id_rest         ::= id_start | digit
     constant        ::= " string " | ' string ' | number
     function        ::= identifier '(' expression_list [ ',' expression_list ]* ')'
     assignment      ::= identifier '=' top_expression
@@ -256,7 +259,7 @@ is 3.
 
 The operator precedence (order of evaluation) specified by the above grammar, from highest to lowest is:
 
-    * Function calls, constants, parenthesized expressions, statement expressions, assignment expressions.
+    * Function calls, constants, parenthesized expressions, statement expressions, assignment expressions, field references.
     * Unary plus (``+``) and minus (``-``). These operators evaluate right to left. These and all the other arithmetic operators return integers if the expression results in a fractional part equal to zero. Example: if an expression returns ``3.0`` it is changed to ``3``.
     * Multiply (``*``) and divide (``/``). These operators are associative and evaluate left to right. Use parentheses if you want to change the order of evaluation.
     * Add (``+``) and subtract (``-``). These operators are associative and evaluate left to right.
@@ -265,6 +268,15 @@ The operator precedence (order of evaluation) specified by the above grammar, fr
     * Logical and (``&&``). This operator returns '1' if both the left-hand and right-hand expressions are True, or the empty string ``''`` if either is False. It is associative, evaluates left to right, and does `short-circuiting <https://chortle.ccsu.edu/java5/Notes/chap40/ch40_2.html>`_.
     * Logical or (``||``). This operator returns ``'1'`` if either the left-hand or right-hand expression is True, or ``''`` if both are False. It is associative, evaluates left to right, and does short-circuiting. The operator is an inclusive or, returning '1' if both the left- and right-hand expressions are True.
 
+**Field References**
+
+A ``field_reference`` evaluates to the value of the metadata field named by lookup key that follows the ``$`` or ``$$``. Using ``$`` is equivalent to using the ``field()`` function. Using ``$$`` is equivalent to using the ``raw_field`` function. Examples::
+
+  * $authors ==> field('authors')
+  * $#genre ==> field('#genre')
+  * $$pubdate ==> raw_field('pubdate')
+  * $$#my_int ==> raw_field('#my_int')
+
 **If Expressions**
 
 ``If`` expressions first evaluate the ``condition``, which is True if it evaluates to anything other than the empty string. If the ``condition`` is True then the ``expression_list`` in the ``then`` clause is evaluated. If it is False then the ``expression_list`` in the ``elif`` or ``else`` clause is evaluated if present. The ``elif`` and ``else`` parts are optional. The words ``if``, ``then``, ``elif``, ``else``, and ``fi`` are reserved; you cannot use them as identifier names. You can put newlines and white space wherever they make sense. The ``condition`` is a ``top_expression`` not an ``expression_list``; semicolons are not allowed. The ``expression_lists`` are semicolon-separated sequences of template language top_expressions. An ``if`` expression returns the result of the last ``top_expression`` in the evaluated ``expression_list``, or '' if no expression list was evaluated.
diff --git a/src/calibre/utils/formatter.py b/src/calibre/utils/formatter.py
index 38de469c8e..65f15cea9e 100644
--- a/src/calibre/utils/formatter.py
+++ b/src/calibre/utils/formatter.py
@@ -578,8 +578,13 @@ class _Parser(object):
         if self.token_is_for():
             return self.for_expression()
         if self.token_is_id():
-            # We have an identifier. Determine if it is a function
             id_ = self.token()
+            # We have an identifier. Check if it is a field reference
+            if len(id_) > 1 and id_[0] == '$':
+                if id_[1] == '$':
+                    return RawFieldNode(ConstantNode(id_[2:]))
+                return FieldNode(ConstantNode(id_[1:]))
+            # Determine if it is a function
             if not self.token_op_is_lparen():
                 if self.token_op_is_equals():
                     # classic assignment statement
@@ -992,6 +997,7 @@ class TemplateFormatter(string.Formatter):
             (r'(\|\||&&|!)',             lambda x,t: (_Parser.LEX_OP, t)),  # noqa
             (r'[(),=;:\+\-*/]',          lambda x,t: (_Parser.LEX_OP, t)),  # noqa
             (r'-?[\d\.]+',               lambda x,t: (_Parser.LEX_CONST, t)),  # noqa
+            (r'\$\$?#?\w+',              lambda x,t: (_Parser.LEX_ID, t)),  # noqa
             (r'\$',                      lambda x,t: (_Parser.LEX_ID, t)),  # noqa
             (r'\w+',                     lambda x,t: (_Parser.LEX_ID, t)),  # noqa
             (r'".*?((?<!\\)")',          lambda x,t: (_Parser.LEX_CONST, t[1:-1])),  # noqa