diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/catalog/catalog_epub_mobi.ui b/src/calibre/gui2/catalog/catalog_epub_mobi.ui
index 7a2a86c690..f443ba4f96 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/catalog/catalog_epub_mobi.ui
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/catalog/catalog_epub_mobi.ui
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <x>0</x>
     <y>0</y>
     <width>650</width>
-    <height>582</height>
+    <height>596</height>
    </rect>
   </property>
   <property name="sizePolicy">
@@ -41,41 +41,54 @@
       <string>Included sections</string>
      </property>
      <layout class="QGridLayout" name="gridLayout_2">
-      <item row="0" column="0">
-       <widget class="QCheckBox" name="generate_titles">
-        <property name="text">
-         <string>Books by &amp;Title</string>
-        </property>
-       </widget>
-      </item>
-      <item row="4" column="0">
-       <widget class="QCheckBox" name="generate_series">
-        <property name="text">
-         <string>Books by &amp;Series</string>
-        </property>
-       </widget>
-      </item>
-      <item row="0" column="2">
-       <widget class="QCheckBox" name="generate_recently_added">
-        <property name="text">
-         <string>Recently &amp;Added</string>
-        </property>
-       </widget>
-      </item>
-      <item row="5" column="0">
+      <item row="0" column="1">
        <widget class="QCheckBox" name="generate_genres">
         <property name="text">
          <string>Books by &amp;Genre</string>
         </property>
        </widget>
       </item>
-      <item row="4" column="2">
+      <item row="4" column="1">
+       <widget class="QCheckBox" name="generate_recently_added">
+        <property name="text">
+         <string>Recently &amp;Added</string>
+        </property>
+       </widget>
+      </item>
+      <item row="5" column="1">
        <widget class="QCheckBox" name="generate_descriptions">
         <property name="text">
          <string>&amp;Descriptions</string>
         </property>
        </widget>
       </item>
+      <item row="5" column="0">
+       <widget class="QCheckBox" name="generate_series">
+        <property name="text">
+         <string>Books by &amp;Series</string>
+        </property>
+       </widget>
+      </item>
+      <item row="4" column="0">
+       <widget class="QCheckBox" name="generate_titles">
+        <property name="text">
+         <string>Books by &amp;Title</string>
+        </property>
+       </widget>
+      </item>
+      <item row="0" column="0">
+       <widget class="QCheckBox" name="generate_authors">
+        <property name="enabled">
+         <bool>false</bool>
+        </property>
+        <property name="text">
+         <string>Books by Author</string>
+        </property>
+        <property name="checked">
+         <bool>true</bool>
+        </property>
+       </widget>
+      </item>
      </layout>
     </widget>
    </item>
@@ -332,7 +345,7 @@ p, li { white-space: pre-wrap; }
       </size>
      </property>
      <property name="toolTip">
-      <string>Matching books will be displayed with ✓</string>
+      <string>Matching books will be displayed with a check mark</string>
      </property>
      <property name="title">
       <string>Read books</string>
@@ -471,7 +484,7 @@ p, li { white-space: pre-wrap; }
         <item>
          <widget class="QLineEdit" name="wishlist_tag">
           <property name="toolTip">
-           <string>Books tagged as Wishlist items will be displayed with ✕</string>
+           <string>Books tagged as Wishlist items will be displayed with an X</string>
           </property>
          </widget>
         </item>
diff --git a/src/calibre/library/catalog.py b/src/calibre/library/catalog.py
index 62d172d6e2..4116f9f9e9 100644
--- a/src/calibre/library/catalog.py
+++ b/src/calibre/library/catalog.py
@@ -603,6 +603,13 @@ class EPUB_MOBI(CatalogPlugin):
                           "--exclude-tags=skip will match 'skip this book' and 'Skip will like this'.\n"
                           "Default: '%default'\n"
                           "Applies to: ePub, MOBI output formats")),
+                   Option('--generate-authors',
+                          default=True,
+                          dest='generate_authors',
+                          action = 'store_true',
+                          help=_("Include 'Authors' section in catalog.\n"
+                          "Default: '%default'\n"
+                          "Applies to: ePub, MOBI output formats")),
                    Option('--generate-descriptions',
                           default=True,
                           dest='generate_descriptions',
@@ -1603,10 +1610,11 @@ class EPUB_MOBI(CatalogPlugin):
                     # Warn, exit if friendly matches previous, but sort doesn't
                     if author[0] == current_author[0]:
                         error_msg = _("\nWarning: inconsistent Author Sort values for Author '%s', ") % author[0]
-                        error_msg += _("unable to continue building catalog.\n")
-                        error_msg += _("Select all books by '%s', apply same Author Sort value in Edit Metadata dialog, ") % author[0]
-                        error_msg += _("then rebuild the catalog.\n")
-                        error_msg += _("Terminating catalog generation.\n")
+                                      "unable to continue building catalog.\n"
+                                      "Select all books by '%s', " % author[0]
+                                      "apply same Author Sort value in Edit Metadata dialog, "
+                                      "then rebuild the catalog.\n"
+                                      "Terminating catalog generation.\n")
 
                         self.opts.log.warn(error_msg)
                         return False
@@ -4970,13 +4978,15 @@ class EPUB_MOBI(CatalogPlugin):
         if opts_dict['ids']:
             build_log.append(" book count: %d" % len(opts_dict['ids']))
 
-        sections_list = ['Authors']
+        sections_list = []
+        if opts.generate_authors:
+            sections_list.append('Authors')
         if opts.generate_titles:
             sections_list.append('Titles')
-        if opts.generate_recently_added:
-            sections_list.append('Recently Added')
         if opts.generate_genres:
             sections_list.append('Genres')
+        if opts.generate_recently_added:
+            sections_list.append('Recently Added')
         if opts.generate_descriptions:
             sections_list.append('Descriptions')