diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/txt/output.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/txt/output.py
index 7d44172b3f..5e58d47ef1 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/txt/output.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/txt/output.py
@@ -39,10 +39,10 @@ class TXTOutput(OutputFormatPlugin):
     def convert(self, oeb_book, output_path, input_plugin, opts, log):
         metadata = TxtMetadata()
         if opts.prepend_author.lower() == 'true':
-            metadata.author = opts.authors if opts.authors else authors_to_string(oeb_book.metadata.authors)
+            metadata.author = opts.authors if opts.authors else authors_to_string(oeb_book.metadata.authors.value) if oeb_book.metadata.authors != [] else _('Unknown')
         if opts.prepend_title.lower() == 'true':
-            metadata.title = opts.title if opts.title else oeb_book.metadata.title
-
+            metadata.title = opts.title if opts.title else oeb_book.metadata.title[0].value if oeb_book.metadata.title != [] else _('Unknown')
+            
         writer = TxtWriter(TxtNewlines(opts.newline).newline, log)
         txt = writer.dump(oeb_book.spine, metadata)
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/txt/writer.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/txt/writer.py
index eabc2d64ed..2fb5f9550a 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/txt/writer.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/txt/writer.py
@@ -22,16 +22,15 @@ class TxtWriter(object):
     def dump(self, spine, metadata):
         out = u''
         for item in spine:
-            with open(item, 'r') as itemf:
-                content = itemf.read().decode(item.encoding)
-                # Convert newlines to unix style \n for processing. These
-                # will be changed to the specified type later in the process.
-                content = self.unix_newlines(content)
-                content = self.strip_html(content)
-                content = self.replace_html_symbols(content)
-                content = self.cleanup_text(content)
-                content = self.specified_newlines(content)
-                out += content
+            content = unicode(item)
+            # Convert newlines to unix style \n for processing. These
+            # will be changed to the specified type later in the process.
+            content = self.unix_newlines(content)
+            content = self.strip_html(content)
+            content = self.replace_html_symbols(content)
+            content = self.cleanup_text(content)
+            content = self.specified_newlines(content)
+            out += content
 
         # Prepend metadata
         if metadata.author != None and metadata.author != '':