diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/book_details.py b/src/calibre/gui2/book_details.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2cc812913f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/book_details.py
@@ -0,0 +1,170 @@
+#!/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 os, collections
+
+from PyQt4.Qt import QLabel, QPixmap, QSize, QWidget, Qt, pyqtSignal, \
+    QVBoxLayout, QScrollArea
+
+from calibre import fit_image, prepare_string_for_xml
+from calibre.gui2.widgets import IMAGE_EXTENSIONS
+from calibre.ebooks import BOOK_EXTENSIONS
+from calibre.constants import preferred_encoding
+
+class CoverView(QLabel):
+
+    def __init__(self, parent=None):
+        QLabel.__init__(self, parent)
+        self.default_pixmap = QPixmap(I('book.svg'))
+        self.max_width, self.max_height = 120, 120
+        self.setScaledContents(True)
+        self.setPixmap(self.default_pixmap)
+
+        def do_layout(self):
+            pixmap = self.pixmap()
+            pwidth, pheight = pixmap.width(), pixmap.height()
+            width, height = fit_image(pwidth, pheight,
+                                              self.max_width, self.max_height)[1:]
+            self.setMaximumWidth(width)
+            try:
+                aspect_ratio = pwidth/float(pheight)
+            except ZeroDivisionError:
+                aspect_ratio = 1
+            mh = min(self.max_height, int(width/aspect_ratio))
+            self.setMaximumHeight(mh)
+
+        def setPixmap(self, pixmap):
+            QLabel.setPixmap(self, pixmap)
+            self.do_layout()
+
+
+        def sizeHint(self):
+            return QSize(self.maximumWidth(), self.maximumHeight())
+
+        def relayout(self, parent_size):
+            self.max_height = int(parent_size.height()/3.)
+            self.max_width = parent_size.width()
+            self.do_layout()
+
+        def show_data(self, data):
+            if data.has_key('cover'):
+                self.setPixmap(QPixmap.fromImage(data.pop('cover')))
+            else:
+                self.setPixmap(self.default_pixmap)
+
+class BookInfo(QScrollArea):
+
+    def __init__(self, parent=None):
+        QScrollArea.__init__(self, parent)
+        self.setWidgetResizable(True)
+        self.label = QLabel()
+        self.label.setWordWrap(True)
+        self.setWidget(self.label)
+
+    def show_data(self, data):
+        self.label.setText('')
+        self.data = data.copy()
+        rows = render_rows(self.data)
+        rows = u'\n'.join([u'<tr><td valign="top"><b>%s:</b></td><td valign="top">%s</td></tr>'%(k,t) for
+            k, t in rows])
+        self.label.setText(u'<table>%s</table>'%rows)
+
+WEIGHTS = collections.defaultdict(lambda : 100)
+WEIGHTS[_('Path')] = 0
+WEIGHTS[_('Formats')] = 1
+WEIGHTS[_('Collections')] = 2
+WEIGHTS[_('Series')] = 3
+WEIGHTS[_('Tags')] = 4
+
+def render_rows(data):
+    keys = data.keys()
+    keys.sort(cmp=lambda x, y: cmp(WEIGHTS[x], WEIGHTS[y]))
+    rows = []
+    for key in keys:
+        txt = data[key]
+        if key in ('id', _('Comments')) or not txt or not txt.strip() or \
+                txt == 'None':
+            continue
+        if isinstance(key, str):
+            key = key.decode(preferred_encoding, 'replace')
+        if isinstance(txt, str):
+            txt = txt.decode(preferred_encoding, 'replace')
+        if '</font>' not in txt:
+            txt = prepare_string_for_xml(txt)
+        if key == _('Path'):
+            txt = '...'+os.sep+os.sep.join(txt.split(os.sep)[-2:])
+            txt = u'<a href="path:%s">%s</a>'%(data['id'], txt)
+        if key == _('Formats') and txt and txt != _('None'):
+            fmts = [x.strip() for x in txt.split(',')]
+            fmts = [u'<a href="format:%s:%s">%s</a>' % (data['id'], x, x) for x
+                    in fmts]
+            txt = ', '.join(fmts)
+        rows.append((key, txt))
+    return rows
+
+class BookDetails(QWidget):
+
+    resized = pyqtSignal(object)
+    show_book_info = pyqtSignal()
+
+    # Drag 'n drop {{{
+    DROPABBLE_EXTENSIONS = IMAGE_EXTENSIONS+BOOK_EXTENSIONS
+    files_dropped = pyqtSignal(object, object)
+
+    @classmethod
+    def paths_from_event(cls, event):
+        '''
+        Accept a drop event and return a list of paths that can be read from
+        and represent files with extensions.
+        '''
+        if event.mimeData().hasFormat('text/uri-list'):
+            urls = [unicode(u.toLocalFile()) for u in event.mimeData().urls()]
+            urls = [u for u in urls if os.path.splitext(u)[1] and os.access(u, os.R_OK)]
+            return [u for u in urls if os.path.splitext(u)[1][1:].lower() in cls.DROPABBLE_EXTENSIONS]
+
+    def dragEnterEvent(self, event):
+        if int(event.possibleActions() & Qt.CopyAction) + \
+           int(event.possibleActions() & Qt.MoveAction) == 0:
+            return
+        paths = self.paths_from_event(event)
+        if paths:
+            event.acceptProposedAction()
+
+    def dropEvent(self, event):
+        paths = self.paths_from_event(event)
+        event.setDropAction(Qt.CopyAction)
+        self.files_dropped.emit(event, paths)
+
+    def dragMoveEvent(self, event):
+        event.acceptProposedAction()
+
+    # }}}
+
+    def __init__(self, parent=None):
+        QWidget.__init__(self, parent)
+        self._layout = QVBoxLayout()
+
+        self.setLayout(self._layout)
+        self.cover_view = CoverView(self)
+        self.cover_view.relayout()
+        self.resized.connect(self.cover_view.relayout, type=Qt.QueuedConnection)
+        self._layout.addWidget(self.cover_view)
+
+
+    def resizeEvent(self, ev):
+        self.resized.emit(self.size())
+
+    def show_data(self, data):
+        self.cover_view.show_data(data)
+
+    def reset_info(self):
+        self.show_data({})
+
+    def mouseReleaseEvent(self, ev):
+        self.show_book_info.emit()
+
+