diff --git a/src/calibre/srv/code.py b/src/calibre/srv/code.py
index 3a674ea568..73503fe407 100644
--- a/src/calibre/srv/code.py
+++ b/src/calibre/srv/code.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ from calibre.srv.errors import HTTPNotFound, HTTPBadRequest
 from calibre.srv.metadata import book_as_json
 from calibre.srv.routes import endpoint, json
 from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
+from calibre.utils.search_query_parser import ParseException
 
 html_cache = {}
 cache_lock = Lock()
@@ -67,7 +68,9 @@ def get_basic_query_data(ctx, query):
     sorts, orders = [], []
     for x in query.get('sort', '').split(','):
         if x:
-            s, o = x.partition('.')[::2]
+            s, o = x.rpartition('.')[::2]
+            if o and not s:
+                s, o = o, ''
             if o not in ('asc', 'desc'):
                 o = 'asc'
             if s.startswith('_'):
@@ -170,3 +173,29 @@ def set_session_data(ctx, rd):
         ud = ctx.user_manager.get_session_data(rd.username)
         ud.update(new_data)
         ctx.user_manager.set_session_data(rd.username, ud)
+
+@endpoint('/interface-data/get-books', postprocess=json)
+def get_books(ctx, rd):
+    '''
+    Get books for the specified query
+
+    Optional: ?library_id=<default library>&num=50&sort=timestamp.desc&search=''
+    '''
+    library_id, db, sorts, orders = get_basic_query_data(ctx, rd.query)
+    try:
+        num = int(rd.query.get('num', DEFAULT_NUMBER_OF_BOOKS))
+    except Exception:
+        raise HTTPNotFound('Invalid number of books: %r' % rd.query.get('num'))
+    searchq = rd.query.get('search', '')
+    db = get_library_data(ctx, rd.query)[0]
+    ans = {}
+    mdata = ans['metadata'] = {}
+    with db.safe_read_lock:
+        try:
+            ans['search_result'] = search_result(ctx, rd, db, searchq, num, 0, ','.join(sorts), ','.join(orders))
+        except ParseException as err:
+            raise HTTPBadRequest('Invalid search expression: %s' % as_unicode(err))
+        for book_id in ans['search_result']['book_ids']:
+            data = book_as_json(db, book_id)
+            mdata[book_id] = data
+    return ans
diff --git a/src/pyj/book_list/boss.pyj b/src/pyj/book_list/boss.pyj
index c798f326cd..bb844b52a2 100644
--- a/src/pyj/book_list/boss.pyj
+++ b/src/pyj/book_list/boss.pyj
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 from book_list.ui import UI
 from modals import error_dialog
 from gettext import gettext as _
+from book_list.globals import get_session_data
 
 class Boss:
 
@@ -29,3 +30,14 @@ class Boss:
             return True
         except:
             console.error('There was an error in the unhandled exception handler')
+
+    def change_books(self, data):
+        data.search_result.sort = str.split(data.search_result.sort, ',')[:2].join(',')
+        data.search_result.sort_order = str.split(data.search_result.sort_order, ',')[:2].join(',')
+        sval = ''
+        for field, order in zip(str.split(data.search_result.sort, ','), str.split(data.search_result.sort_order, ',')):
+            sval += field + '.' + order + ','
+        get_session_data().set('sort', str.rstrip(sval, ','))
+        self.interface_data.metadata = data.metadata
+        self.interface_data.search_result = data.search_result
+        self.ui.books_view.refresh()
diff --git a/src/pyj/book_list/ui.pyj b/src/pyj/book_list/ui.pyj
index d265459a1c..85b949372e 100644
--- a/src/pyj/book_list/ui.pyj
+++ b/src/pyj/book_list/ui.pyj
@@ -30,10 +30,11 @@ class ClosePanelBar(BarState):
 
 class UIState:
 
-    def __init__(self, top_bar_state=None, main_panel=None, panel_data=None):
+    def __init__(self, top_bar_state=None, main_panel=None, panel_data=None, is_cacheable=True):
         self.top_bar_state = top_bar_state
         self.main_panel = main_panel or get_boss().ui.items_view
         self.panel_data = panel_data
+        self.is_cacheable = is_cacheable
 
     def add_button(self, **kw):
         self.top_bar_state.add_button(**kw)
@@ -43,7 +44,9 @@ panels = {}
 def panel(key):
     ans = panels[key]
     if not ans:
-        ans = panels[key] = create_panel[key]()
+        ans = create_panel[key]()
+        if ans.is_cacheable:
+            panels[key] = ans
     return ans
 
 def close_panel():
@@ -65,8 +68,12 @@ create_panel = {
     ,
 
     'booklist-mode-menu': def booklist_mode_menu():
-        return UIState(ClosePanelBar(_('Book List Mode')), panel_data=[
-        ])
+        return UIState(ClosePanelBar(_('Book List Mode')), panel_data=[])
+    ,
+
+    'booklist-sort-menu': def change_booklist_sort():
+        data = get_boss().ui.books_view.sort_panel_data(create_item)
+        return UIState(ClosePanelBar(_('Sort books')), panel_data=data, is_cacheable=False)
     ,
 }
 
@@ -82,7 +89,7 @@ class UI:
         self.books_view = BooksView(interface_data)
         self.items_view = ItemsView(interface_data)
         ibs = BarState(run_animation=True)
-        ibs.add_button(icon_name='sort-alpha-asc', tooltip=_('Sort books'))
+        ibs.add_button(icon_name='sort-amount-desc', tooltip=_('Sort books'), action=show_panel_action('booklist-sort-menu'))
         ibs.add_button(icon_name='search', tooltip=_('Search for books'))
         ibs.add_button(icon_name='ellipsis-v', tooltip=_('More actions'), action=show_panel_action('more-actions-menu'))
         self.states.append(UIState(ibs, self.books_view))
diff --git a/src/pyj/book_list/views.pyj b/src/pyj/book_list/views.pyj
index b44a4f5677..f96af2a57c 100644
--- a/src/pyj/book_list/views.pyj
+++ b/src/pyj/book_list/views.pyj
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@ from ajax import ajax_send
 from dom import set_css, build_rule, clear
 from elementmaker import E
 from gettext import gettext as _
-from modals import error_dialog
+from modals import error_dialog, ajax_progress_dialog
 
-from book_list.globals import get_session_data
+from book_list.globals import get_session_data, get_boss
 from widgets import create_button, create_spinner
 
 THUMBNAIL_MAX_WIDTH = 300
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ class BooksView:
             except Exception as err:
                 error_dialog(_('Could not get more books'), _('Server returned an invalid response'), err.stack or err.toString())
         elif end_type != 'abort':
-            error_dialog(_('Could not get more books'), xhr.error_string)
+            error_dialog(_('Could not get more books'), xhr.error_html)
 
     # Cover grid {{{
 
@@ -186,3 +186,51 @@ class BooksView:
         )
 
     # }}}
+
+    def sort_panel_data(self, create_item):
+        current_sorted_field = str.partition(self.interface_data.search_result.sort, ',')[0]
+        current_sorted_field_order = str.partition(self.interface_data.search_result.sort_order, ',')[0]
+        new_sort_order = 'desc' if current_sorted_field_order == 'asc' else 'asc'
+        if current_sorted_field == 'date':
+            current_sorted_field = 'timestamp'
+        ans = []
+        ans.subtitle = _('Change how the list of books is sorted')
+        for field, name in self.interface_data.sortable_fields:
+            subtitle = icon_name = None
+            if field == current_sorted_field:
+                subtitle = _('Reverse current sort order')
+                icon_name = 'sort-amount-asc' if current_sorted_field_order == 'asc' else 'sort-amount-desc'
+                action = self.change_sort.bind(self, field, new_sort_order)
+            else:
+                action = self.change_sort.bind(self, field, None)
+            ans.push(create_item(name, subtitle=subtitle, icon_name=icon_name, action=action))
+        return ans
+
+    def change_sort(self, field, order):
+        key = 'sort-order-for-' + field
+        sd = get_session_data()
+        order = order or sd.get(key, 'asc')
+        order = 'asc' if order == 'asc' else 'desc'
+        sd.set(key, order)
+        sr = self.interface_data.search_result
+        sort = field + '.' + order + ',' + sr.sort + '.' + sr.order
+        data = {'search':sr.query or '', 'sort':sort, 'num':self.shown_book_ids.length, 'library_id':self.interface_data.library_id}
+        ajax_progress_dialog('interface-data/get-books', self.sort_change_completed.bind(self), _(
+            'Fetching data from server, please wait') + '…', query=data)
+
+    def sort_change_completed(self, end_type, xhr, ev):
+        if end_type == 'load':
+            boss = get_boss()
+            try:
+                data = JSON.parse(xhr.responseText)
+                boss.change_books(data)
+            except Exception as err:
+                return error_dialog(_('Could not change sort order'), err + '', details=err.stack)
+            boss.ui.close_panel()
+            window.scrollTo(0, 0)
+        elif end_type != 'abort':
+            error_dialog(_('Could not change sort order'), xhr.error_html)
+
+    def refresh(self):
+        self.clear()
+        self.render_ids()