diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/__init__.py b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/__init__.py
index a5ef402f22..5dc0710d6e 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/__init__.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/__init__.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ __docformat__ = 'restructuredtext en'
 from functools import partial
 from zipfile import ZipFile
 
-from PyQt4.Qt import QToolButton, QAction, QIcon, QObject
+from PyQt4.Qt import QToolButton, QAction, QIcon, QObject, QMenu
 
 from calibre.gui2 import Dispatcher
 
@@ -66,6 +66,14 @@ class InterfaceAction(QObject):
     #: shortcut must be a translated string if not None
     action_spec = ('text', 'icon', None, None)
 
+    #: If True, a menu is automatically created and added to self.qaction
+    action_add_menu = False
+
+    #: If True, a clone of self.qaction is added to the menu of self.qaction
+    #: If you want the text of this action to be different from that of
+    #: self.qaction, set this variable to the new text
+    action_menu_clone_qaction = False
+
     #: Set of locations to which this action must not be added.
     #: See :attr:`all_locations` for a list of possible locations
     dont_add_to = frozenset([])
@@ -94,6 +102,7 @@ class InterfaceAction(QObject):
         self.Dispatcher = partial(Dispatcher, parent=self)
         self.create_action()
         self.gui.addAction(self.qaction)
+        self.gui.addAction(self.menuless_qaction)
         self.genesis()
 
     def create_action(self, spec=None, attr='qaction'):
@@ -104,18 +113,29 @@ class InterfaceAction(QObject):
             action = QAction(QIcon(I(icon)), text, self.gui)
         else:
             action = QAction(text, self.gui)
-        action.setAutoRepeat(self.auto_repeat)
-        text = tooltip if tooltip else text
-        action.setToolTip(text)
-        action.setStatusTip(text)
-        action.setWhatsThis(text)
-        action.setAutoRepeat(False)
+        if attr == 'qaction':
+            mt = (action.text() if self.action_menu_clone_qaction is True else
+                    unicode(self.action_menu_clone_qaction))
+            self.menuless_qaction = ma = QAction(action.icon(), mt, self.gui)
+            ma.triggered.connect(action.trigger)
+        for a in ((action, ma) if attr == 'qaction' else (action,)):
+            a.setAutoRepeat(self.auto_repeat)
+            text = tooltip if tooltip else text
+            a.setToolTip(text)
+            a.setStatusTip(text)
+            a.setWhatsThis(text)
         if shortcut:
+            a = ma if attr == 'qaction' else action
             if isinstance(shortcut, list):
-                action.setShortcuts(shortcut)
+                a.setShortcuts(shortcut)
             else:
-                action.setShortcut(shortcut)
+                a.setShortcut(shortcut)
         setattr(self, attr, action)
+        if attr == 'qaction' and self.action_add_menu:
+            menu = QMenu()
+            action.setMenu(menu)
+            if self.action_menu_clone_qaction:
+                menu.addAction(self.menuless_qaction)
         return action
 
     def load_resources(self, names):
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/add.py b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/add.py
index 3556f1db80..7f7bf72be9 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/add.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/add.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ __docformat__ = 'restructuredtext en'
 import os
 from functools import partial
 
-from PyQt4.Qt import QPixmap, QMenu, QTimer
+from PyQt4.Qt import QPixmap, QTimer
 
 
 from calibre.gui2 import error_dialog, choose_files, \
@@ -48,12 +48,12 @@ class AddAction(InterfaceAction):
             _('Add books to the calibre library/device from files on your computer')
             , _('A'))
     action_type = 'current'
+    action_add_menu = True
+    action_menu_clone_qaction = _('Add books from a single directory')
 
     def genesis(self):
         self._add_filesystem_book = self.Dispatcher(self.__add_filesystem_book)
-        self.add_menu = QMenu()
-        self.add_menu.addAction(_('Add books from a single directory'),
-                self.add_books)
+        self.add_menu = self.qaction.menu()
         self.add_menu.addAction(_('Add books from directories, including '
             'sub-directories (One book per directory, assumes every ebook '
             'file is the same book in a different format)'),
@@ -69,7 +69,6 @@ class AddAction(InterfaceAction):
         self.add_menu.addAction(_('Add files to selected book records'),
                 self.add_formats, _('Shift+A'))
 
-        self.qaction.setMenu(self.add_menu)
         self.qaction.triggered.connect(self.add_books)
 
     def location_selected(self, loc):
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/choose_library.py b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/choose_library.py
index 726fee7910..579aa681b2 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/choose_library.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/choose_library.py
@@ -82,23 +82,20 @@ class ChooseLibraryAction(InterfaceAction):
     action_spec = (_('%d books'), 'lt.png',
             _('Choose calibre library to work with'), None)
     dont_add_to = frozenset(['menubar-device', 'toolbar-device', 'context-menu-device'])
+    action_add_menu = True
+    action_menu_clone_qaction = _('Switch/create library...')
 
     def genesis(self):
         self.count_changed(0)
         self.qaction.triggered.connect(self.choose_library,
                 type=Qt.QueuedConnection)
+        self.action_choose = self.menuless_qaction
 
         self.stats = LibraryUsageStats()
         self.popup_type = (QToolButton.InstantPopup if len(self.stats.stats) > 1 else
                 QToolButton.MenuButtonPopup)
 
-        self.create_action(spec=(_('Switch/create library...'), 'lt.png', None,
-            None), attr='action_choose')
-        self.action_choose.triggered.connect(self.choose_library,
-                type=Qt.QueuedConnection)
-        self.choose_menu = QMenu(self.gui)
-        self.qaction.setMenu(self.choose_menu)
-
+        self.choose_menu = self.qaction.menu()
 
         if not os.environ.get('CALIBRE_OVERRIDE_DATABASE_PATH', None):
             self.choose_menu.addAction(self.action_choose)
@@ -110,7 +107,7 @@ class ChooseLibraryAction(InterfaceAction):
             self.delete_menu = QMenu(_('Remove library'))
             self.delete_menu_action = self.choose_menu.addMenu(self.delete_menu)
 
-        ac = self.create_action(spec=(_('Pick a random book'), 'catalog.png',
+        ac = self.create_action(spec=(_('Pick a random book'), 'random.png',
             None, None), attr='action_pick_random')
         ac.triggered.connect(self.pick_random)
         self.choose_menu.addAction(ac)
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/convert.py b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/convert.py
index e3dc697a45..b51d59aa19 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/convert.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/convert.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ __docformat__ = 'restructuredtext en'
 import os
 from functools import partial
 
-from PyQt4.Qt import QModelIndex, QMenu
+from PyQt4.Qt import QModelIndex, QIcon
 
 from calibre.gui2 import error_dialog, Dispatcher
 from calibre.gui2.tools import convert_single_ebook, convert_bulk_ebook
@@ -22,18 +22,18 @@ class ConvertAction(InterfaceAction):
     action_spec = (_('Convert books'), 'convert.png', None, _('C'))
     dont_add_to = frozenset(['menubar-device', 'toolbar-device', 'context-menu-device'])
     action_type = 'current'
+    action_add_menu = True
 
     def genesis(self):
-        cm = QMenu()
-        cm.addAction(_('Convert individually'), partial(self.convert_ebook,
+        cm = self.qaction.menu()
+        cm.addAction(self.qaction.icon(), _('Convert individually'), partial(self.convert_ebook,
             False, bulk=False))
         cm.addAction(_('Bulk convert'),
                 partial(self.convert_ebook, False, bulk=True))
         cm.addSeparator()
-        ac = cm.addAction(
+        ac = cm.addAction(QIcon(I('catalog.png')),
                 _('Create a catalog of the books in your calibre library'))
         ac.triggered.connect(self.gui.iactions['Generate Catalog'].generate_catalog)
-        self.qaction.setMenu(cm)
         self.qaction.triggered.connect(self.convert_ebook)
         self.convert_menu = cm
         self.conversion_jobs = {}
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/copy_to_library.py b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/copy_to_library.py
index c3f5eecd0e..a70ebdad7b 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/copy_to_library.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/copy_to_library.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import os
 from functools import partial
 from threading import Thread
 
-from PyQt4.Qt import QMenu, QToolButton
+from PyQt4.Qt import QToolButton
 
 from calibre.gui2.actions import InterfaceAction
 from calibre.gui2 import error_dialog, Dispatcher, warning_dialog
@@ -95,10 +95,10 @@ class CopyToLibraryAction(InterfaceAction):
     popup_type = QToolButton.InstantPopup
     dont_add_to = frozenset(['toolbar-device', 'context-menu-device'])
     action_type = 'current'
+    action_add_menu = True
 
     def genesis(self):
-        self.menu = QMenu(self.gui)
-        self.qaction.setMenu(self.menu)
+        self.menu = self.qaction.menu()
 
     @property
     def stats(self):
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/delete.py b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/delete.py
index dcaf5208c6..31195fd94c 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/delete.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/delete.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ __docformat__ = 'restructuredtext en'
 
 from functools import partial
 
-from PyQt4.Qt import QMenu, QObject, QTimer
+from PyQt4.Qt import QObject, QTimer
 
 from calibre.gui2 import error_dialog, question_dialog
 from calibre.gui2.dialogs.delete_matching_from_device import DeleteMatchingFromDeviceDialog
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ from calibre.utils.recycle_bin import can_recycle
 
 single_shot = partial(QTimer.singleShot, 10)
 
-class MultiDeleter(QObject):
+class MultiDeleter(QObject): # {{{
 
     def __init__(self, gui, ids, callback):
         from calibre.gui2.dialogs.progress import ProgressDialog
@@ -77,17 +77,19 @@ class MultiDeleter(QObject):
             error_dialog(self.gui, _('Failed to delete'),
                     _('Failed to delete some books, click the Show Details button'
                     ' for details.'), det_msg='\n\n'.join(msg), show=True)
+# }}}
 
 class DeleteAction(InterfaceAction):
 
     name = 'Remove Books'
     action_spec = (_('Remove books'), 'trash.png', None, 'Del')
     action_type = 'current'
+    action_add_menu = True
+    action_menu_clone_qaction = _('Remove selected books')
 
     def genesis(self):
         self.qaction.triggered.connect(self.delete_books)
-        self.delete_menu = QMenu()
-        self.delete_menu.addAction(_('Remove selected books'), self.delete_books)
+        self.delete_menu = self.qaction.menu()
         self.delete_menu.addAction(
                 _('Remove files of a specific format from selected books..'),
                 self.delete_selected_formats)
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/edit_metadata.py b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/edit_metadata.py
index 5dd71ad696..5e220fdb1d 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/edit_metadata.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/edit_metadata.py
@@ -24,12 +24,13 @@ class EditMetadataAction(InterfaceAction):
     name = 'Edit Metadata'
     action_spec = (_('Edit metadata'), 'edit_input.png', None, _('E'))
     action_type = 'current'
+    action_add_menu = True
 
     def genesis(self):
         self.create_action(spec=(_('Merge book records'), 'merge_books.png',
             None, _('M')), attr='action_merge')
-        md = QMenu()
-        md.addAction(_('Edit metadata individually'),
+        md = self.qaction.menu()
+        md.addAction(self.qaction.icon(), _('Edit metadata individually'),
                 partial(self.edit_metadata, False, bulk=False))
         md.addSeparator()
         md.addAction(_('Edit metadata in bulk'),
@@ -56,7 +57,6 @@ class EditMetadataAction(InterfaceAction):
         md.addAction(self.action_merge)
 
         self.qaction.triggered.connect(self.edit_metadata)
-        self.qaction.setMenu(md)
         self.action_merge.triggered.connect(self.merge_books)
 
     def location_selected(self, loc):
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/preferences.py b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/preferences.py
index c3bf9bbe8b..21a70ecf03 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/preferences.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/preferences.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ __license__   = 'GPL v3'
 __copyright__ = '2010, Kovid Goyal <kovid@kovidgoyal.net>'
 __docformat__ = 'restructuredtext en'
 
-from PyQt4.Qt import QIcon, QMenu, Qt
+from PyQt4.Qt import QIcon, Qt
 
 from calibre.gui2.actions import InterfaceAction
 from calibre.gui2.preferences.main import Preferences
@@ -16,12 +16,13 @@ class PreferencesAction(InterfaceAction):
 
     name = 'Preferences'
     action_spec = (_('Preferences'), 'config.png', None, _('Ctrl+P'))
+    action_add_menu = True
+    action_menu_clone_qaction = _('Change calibre behavior')
 
     def genesis(self):
-        pm = QMenu()
-        pm.addAction(QIcon(I('config.png')), _('Preferences'), self.do_config)
+        pm = self.qaction.menu()
         if isosx:
-            pm.addAction(QIcon(I('config.png')), _('Change calibre behavior'), self.do_config)
+            pm.addAction(QIcon(I('config.png')), _('Preferences'), self.do_config)
         pm.addAction(QIcon(I('wizard.png')), _('Run welcome wizard'),
                 self.gui.run_wizard)
         pm.addAction(QIcon(I('plugins/plugin_updater.png')),
@@ -33,7 +34,6 @@ class PreferencesAction(InterfaceAction):
             ac.setShortcut('Ctrl+Shift+R')
             self.gui.addAction(ac)
 
-        self.qaction.setMenu(pm)
         self.preferences_menu = pm
         for x in (self.gui.preferences_action, self.qaction):
             x.triggered.connect(self.do_config)
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/save_to_disk.py b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/save_to_disk.py
index 93c35900a9..af3e1ebf34 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/save_to_disk.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/save_to_disk.py
@@ -38,12 +38,12 @@ class SaveToDiskAction(InterfaceAction):
     name = "Save To Disk"
     action_spec = (_('Save to disk'), 'save.png', None, _('S'))
     action_type = 'current'
+    action_add_menu = True
+    action_menu_clone_qaction = True
 
     def genesis(self):
         self.qaction.triggered.connect(self.save_to_disk)
-        self.save_menu = QMenu()
-        self.save_menu.addAction(_('Save to disk'), partial(self.save_to_disk,
-            False))
+        self.save_menu = self.qaction.menu()
         self.save_menu.addAction(_('Save to disk in a single directory'),
                 partial(self.save_to_single_dir, False))
         self.save_menu.addAction(_('Save only %s format to disk')%
@@ -56,7 +56,6 @@ class SaveToDiskAction(InterfaceAction):
         self.save_sub_menu = SaveMenu(self.gui)
         self.save_sub_menu_action = self.save_menu.addMenu(self.save_sub_menu)
         self.save_sub_menu.save_fmt.connect(self.save_specific_format_disk)
-        self.qaction.setMenu(self.save_menu)
 
     def location_selected(self, loc):
         enabled = loc == 'library'
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/similar_books.py b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/similar_books.py
index b1ee04a4d4..31148d6a7c 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/similar_books.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/similar_books.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ __docformat__ = 'restructuredtext en'
 
 from functools import partial
 
-from PyQt4.Qt import QMenu, QToolButton
+from PyQt4.Qt import QToolButton
 
 from calibre.gui2.actions import InterfaceAction
 
@@ -17,9 +17,10 @@ class SimilarBooksAction(InterfaceAction):
     action_spec = (_('Similar books...'), None, None, None)
     popup_type = QToolButton.InstantPopup
     action_type = 'current'
+    action_add_menu = True
 
     def genesis(self):
-        m = QMenu(self.gui)
+        m = self.qaction.menu()
         for text, icon, target, shortcut in [
         (_('Books by same author'), 'user_profile.png', 'authors', _('Alt+A')),
         (_('Books in this series'), 'books_in_series.png', 'series',
@@ -31,7 +32,6 @@ class SimilarBooksAction(InterfaceAction):
             m.addAction(ac)
             ac.triggered.connect(partial(self.show_similar_books, target))
         self.qaction.setMenu(m)
-        self.similar_menu = m
 
     def show_similar_books(self, type, *args):
         search, join = [], ' '
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/store.py b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/store.py
index 7f9b538bcf..3e68229332 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/store.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/store.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ __docformat__ = 'restructuredtext en'
 
 from functools import partial
 
-from PyQt4.Qt import QMenu, QIcon, QSize
+from PyQt4.Qt import QIcon, QSize
 
 from calibre.gui2 import error_dialog
 from calibre.gui2.actions import InterfaceAction
@@ -17,16 +17,18 @@ from calibre.gui2.dialogs.confirm_delete import confirm
 class StoreAction(InterfaceAction):
 
     name = 'Store'
-    action_spec = (_('Get books'), 'store.png', None, None)
+    action_spec = (_('Get books'), 'store.png', None, _('G'))
+    action_add_menu = True
+    action_menu_clone_qaction = _('Search for ebooks')
 
     def genesis(self):
         self.qaction.triggered.connect(self.do_search)
-        self.store_menu = QMenu()
+        self.store_menu = self.qaction.menu()
         self.load_menu()
 
     def load_menu(self):
         self.store_menu.clear()
-        self.store_menu.addAction(_('Search for ebooks'), self.search)
+        self.store_menu.addAction(self.menuless_qaction)
         self.store_menu.addAction(_('Search for this author'), self.search_author)
         self.store_menu.addAction(_('Search for this title'), self.search_title)
         self.store_menu.addAction(_('Search for this book'), self.search_author_title)
@@ -41,7 +43,6 @@ class StoreAction(InterfaceAction):
                 self.store_list_menu.addAction(n, partial(self.open_store, p))
         self.store_menu.addSeparator()
         self.store_menu.addAction(_('Choose stores'), self.choose)
-        self.qaction.setMenu(self.store_menu)
 
     def do_search(self):
         return self.search()
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/view.py b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/view.py
index f67b0767d6..f6797b5e8f 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/view.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/view.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ __docformat__ = 'restructuredtext en'
 
 import os, time
 
-from PyQt4.Qt import Qt, QMenu, QAction, pyqtSignal
+from PyQt4.Qt import Qt, QAction, pyqtSignal
 
 from calibre.constants import isosx
 from calibre.gui2 import error_dialog, Dispatcher, question_dialog, config, \
@@ -35,20 +35,19 @@ class ViewAction(InterfaceAction):
     name = 'View'
     action_spec = (_('View'), 'view.png', None, _('V'))
     action_type = 'current'
+    action_add_menu = True
+    action_menu_clone_qaction = True
 
     def genesis(self):
         self.persistent_files = []
         self.qaction.triggered.connect(self.view_book)
-        self.view_menu = QMenu()
+        self.view_action = self.menuless_qaction
+        self.view_menu = self.qaction.menu()
         ac = self.view_specific_action = QAction(_('View specific format'),
                 self.gui)
-        self.qaction.setMenu(self.view_menu)
         ac.setShortcut(Qt.AltModifier+Qt.Key_V)
         ac.triggered.connect(self.view_specific_format, type=Qt.QueuedConnection)
-        ac = self.view_action = QAction(self.qaction.icon(),
-                self.qaction.text(), self.gui)
-        ac.triggered.connect(self.view_book)
-        ac = self.create_action(spec=(_('Read a random book'), 'catalog.png',
+        ac = self.create_action(spec=(_('Read a random book'), 'random.png',
             None, None), attr='action_pick_random')
         ac.triggered.connect(self.view_random)
         ac = self.clear_history_action = QAction(
diff --git a/src/calibre/manual/gui.rst b/src/calibre/manual/gui.rst
index 23813a27a8..db71b1ccc7 100755
--- a/src/calibre/manual/gui.rst
+++ b/src/calibre/manual/gui.rst
@@ -527,6 +527,8 @@ Calibre has several keyboard shortcuts to save you time and mouse movement. Thes
       - Remove selected Books
     * - :kbd:`E`
       - Edit metadata of selected books
+    * - :kbd:`G`
+      - Get Books
     * - :kbd:`I`
       - Show book details
     * - :kbd:`M`