diff --git a/src/css/main.scss b/src/css/main.scss
index ba3bb22d0..ce7c15770 100644
--- a/src/css/main.scss
+++ b/src/css/main.scss
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ h2 {
     * { display: inline; }
 
     img {
-        position: relative; height: 7.5em; width: 7.5em;
+        position: relative; height: 6em; width: 6em;
         margin-right: 1em;
         vertical-align: bottom;
     }
diff --git a/src/css/templates/recipe_catalog.scss b/src/css/templates/recipe_catalog.scss
index b28df4748..f28405243 100644
--- a/src/css/templates/recipe_catalog.scss
+++ b/src/css/templates/recipe_catalog.scss
@@ -14,14 +14,19 @@ All rights reserved.
         position: absolute; right: 1em;
     }
 
-    input { border: 0; width: 90%; }
+    input { border: 0; font-size: 1.5em; width: 90%; }
 
     table {
         background: white;
         margin: 0 auto;
         width: 98%;
 
-        td { height: 3em; padding: 0 1em; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; }
+        td {
+            height: 3em; padding: 0 1em; position: relative; vertical-align: middle;
+
+            p { font-size: 1.5em; }
+        }
+
         td:nth-child(1) { width: 30%; }
         td:nth-child(2) { width: 70%; border-left: 0.1em solid $color-brick-light; }
     }
diff --git a/src/data/applied_energetics.json b/src/data/applied_energetics.json
index e152021e4..6fcecf3cc 100644
--- a/src/data/applied_energetics.json
+++ b/src/data/applied_energetics.json
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 {
-    "name": "Applied Energetics",
-    "description": "Applied Energetics rv12-b, by AlgorithmX2",
+    "version": 1,
+    "mod_name": "Applied Energetics",
+    "mod_version": "rv-12b",
+    "description": "Crafting recipes from Applied Energetics, by AlgorithmX2",
     "recipes": [
-		
+
         {
             "output": [[1, "Grind Stone"]],
             "input": [[3, "Certus Quartz Dust"], [3, "Stone"], [2, "Cobblestone"],[1, "Wooden Gear"]],
diff --git a/src/data/buildcraft.json b/src/data/buildcraft.json
index 0c68485cc..0a891aa20 100644
--- a/src/data/buildcraft.json
+++ b/src/data/buildcraft.json
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 {
-    "name": "BuildCraft",
-    "description": "Crafting recipes from BuildCraft 3, by SpaceToad",
+    "version": 1,
+    "mod_name": "BuildCraft",
+    "mod_version": "3.0",
+    "description": "Crafting recipes from BuildCraft, by SpaceToad",
     "recipes": [
         {
             "output": [[1, "Advanced Crafting Table"]],
diff --git a/src/data/gravisuite.json b/src/data/gravisuite.json
index dfedf77e0..d5466aeef 100644
--- a/src/data/gravisuite.json
+++ b/src/data/gravisuite.json
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 {
-    "name": "GraviSuite",
+    "version": 1,
+    "mod_name": "GraviSuite",
+    "mod_version": "unknown",
     "description": "Crafting recipes from GraviSuite, by flotschi301",
     "recipes": [
         {
diff --git a/src/data/industrial_craft.json b/src/data/industrial_craft.json
index 00f9bddd1..cb131a3d9 100644
--- a/src/data/industrial_craft.json
+++ b/src/data/industrial_craft.json
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 {
-    "name": "Industrial Craft",
-    "description": "Crafting recipes from IndustrialCraft 2, by Alblaka",
+    "version": 1,
+    "mod_name": "Industrial Craft",
+    "mod_version": "2.0",
+    "description": "Crafting recipes from IndustrialCraft, by Alblaka",
     "recipes": [
         {
             "output": [[1, "Static Boots"]],
diff --git a/src/data/more_blocks.json b/src/data/more_blocks.json
index 919adea09..730fd2285 100644
--- a/src/data/more_blocks.json
+++ b/src/data/more_blocks.json
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 {
-    "name": "MoreBlocks",
+    "version": 1,
+    "mod_name": "MoreBlocks",
+    "mod_version": "1.0",
     "description": "Crafting recipes from More Blocks Mod, by MCE626",
     "recipes": [
         {
diff --git a/src/data/thermal_expansion.json b/src/data/thermal_expansion.json
index 92b66d3a7..ac9a38c5c 100644
--- a/src/data/thermal_expansion.json
+++ b/src/data/thermal_expansion.json
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 {
-    "name": "Thermal Expansion",
+    "version": 1,
+    "mod_name": "Thermal Expansion",
+    "mod_version": "2.x",
     "description": "Crafting Recipes from Thermal Expansion, by King Lemming and the CoFH team",
     "recipes": [
         {
diff --git a/src/data/vanilla.json b/src/data/vanilla.json
index 02cc20856..a0796430f 100644
--- a/src/data/vanilla.json
+++ b/src/data/vanilla.json
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 {
-    "name": "Vanilla Recipes",
+    "version": 1,
+    "mod_name": "Minecraft",
+    "mod_version": "1.6.4",
     "description": "Crafting recipes from vanilla Minecraft (in progress)",
     "recipes": [
         {
diff --git a/src/scripts/constants.coffee b/src/scripts/constants.coffee
index 546023138..218a1daaa 100644
--- a/src/scripts/constants.coffee
+++ b/src/scripts/constants.coffee
@@ -15,10 +15,20 @@ exports.Opacity = Opacity = {}
 Opacity.hidden  = 1e-6
 Opacity.shown   = 1
 
-exports.Event             = Event = {}
-Event.book                = {}
-Event.book.load           = {}
-Event.book.load.started   = 'book:load:started'   # controller, url
-Event.book.load.succeeded = 'book:load:succeeded' # controller, book
-Event.book.load.failed    = 'book:load:failed'    # controller, error message
-Event.book.load.finished  = 'book:load:finished'  # controller
+exports.Event        = Event = {}
+Event.change         = 'change'
+Event.load           = {}
+Event.load.started   = 'book:load:started'   # controller, url
+Event.load.succeeded = 'book:load:succeeded' # controller, book
+Event.load.failed    = 'book:load:failed'    # controller, error message
+Event.load.finished  = 'book:load:finished'  # controller
+
+exports.DefaultBookUrls = DefaultBookUrls = [
+    '/data/vanilla.json'
+    '/data/applied_energetics.json'
+    '/data/buildcraft.json'
+    '/data/gravisuite.json'
+    '/data/industrial_craft.json'
+    '/data/more_blocks.json'
+    '/data/thermal_expansion.json'
+]
diff --git a/src/scripts/controllers/base_controller.coffee b/src/scripts/controllers/base_controller.coffee
index ee481fb6b..fe66afae7 100644
--- a/src/scripts/controllers/base_controller.coffee
+++ b/src/scripts/controllers/base_controller.coffee
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ views = require '../views'
 module.exports = class BaseController extends Backbone.View
 
     constructor: (options={})->
+        Object.defineProperty this, 'model', get:@getModel, set:@setModel
+
+        @_model    = null
         @_rendered = false
         @_parent   = options.parent
         @_children = []
@@ -35,10 +38,40 @@ module.exports = class BaseController extends Backbone.View
 
     # Event Methods ################################################################################
 
+    onDidModelChange: ->
+        @_tryRefresh()
+
+    onDidModelSync: ->
+        @_tryRefresh()
+
     onWillRender: -> # do nothing
 
     onDidRender: ->
-        @refresh()
+        @_tryRefresh()
+
+    onWillShow: -> # do nothing
+
+    onDidShow: -> # do nothing
+
+    onWillChangeModel: (oldModel, newModel)->
+        if oldModel?.on?
+            @stopListening oldModel
+        if newModel?.on?
+            @listenTo newModel, 'sync', (e)=> @onDidModelSync e
+            @listenTo newModel, 'change', (e)=> @onDidModelChange e
+        return true
+
+    # Property Methods #############################################################################
+
+    getModel: ->
+        return @_model
+
+    setModel: (newModel)->
+        return if @model is newModel
+        return unless @onWillChangeModel @_model, newModel
+
+        @_model = newModel
+        @_tryRefresh()
 
     # Backbone.View Overrides ######################################################################
 
@@ -75,3 +108,7 @@ module.exports = class BaseController extends Backbone.View
     _loadTemplate: (templateName)->
         if templateName?
             @_template = views[templateName]
+
+    _tryRefresh: ->
+        return unless @_rendered
+        @refresh()
diff --git a/src/scripts/controllers/landing_page_controller.coffee b/src/scripts/controllers/landing_page_controller.coffee
index c9052fa07..ac9b795f1 100644
--- a/src/scripts/controllers/landing_page_controller.coffee
+++ b/src/scripts/controllers/landing_page_controller.coffee
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ###
-# Crafting Guide - crafting_guide_controller.coffee
+# Crafting Guide - landing_page_controller.coffee
 #
 # Copyright (c) 2014 by Redwood Labs
 # All rights reserved.
@@ -21,5 +21,5 @@ module.exports = class LandingPageController extends BaseController
     # BaseController Overrides #####################################################################
 
     onDidRender: ->
-        @recipeBooksController = @addChild RecipeCatalogController, '.view__recipe_catalog'
+        @recipeBooksController = @addChild RecipeCatalogController, '.view__recipe_catalog', model:@model.catalog
         super
diff --git a/src/scripts/controllers/recipe_book_controller.coffee b/src/scripts/controllers/recipe_book_controller.coffee
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c1c85e871
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/scripts/controllers/recipe_book_controller.coffee
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+###
+# Crafting Guide - recipe_book_controller.coffee
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2014 by Redwood Labs
+# All rights reserved.
+###
+
+BaseController = require './base_controller'
+
+########################################################################################################################
+
+module.exports = class RecipeBookController extends BaseController
+
+    constructor: (options={})->
+        if not options.model? then throw new Error "options.model is required"
+        options.templateName = 'recipe_book'
+        super options
+
+    # BaseController Overrides #####################################################################
+
+    onDidRender: ->
+        @$name = @$('td:nth-child(1) p')
+        @$description = @$('td:nth-child(2) p')
+        super
+
+    refresh: ->
+        @$name.html "#{@model.modName} (#{@model.modVersion})"
+        @$description.html "#{@model.description}"
diff --git a/src/scripts/controllers/recipe_catalog_controller.coffee b/src/scripts/controllers/recipe_catalog_controller.coffee
index e20b8089d..63a80ca44 100644
--- a/src/scripts/controllers/recipe_catalog_controller.coffee
+++ b/src/scripts/controllers/recipe_catalog_controller.coffee
@@ -5,12 +5,36 @@
 # All rights reserved.
 ###
 
-BaseController = require './base_controller'
+BaseController       = require './base_controller'
+RecipeBookController = require './recipe_book_controller'
 
 ########################################################################################################################
 
 module.exports = class RecipeCatalogController extends BaseController
 
     constructor: (options={})->
+        if not options.model? then throw new Error "options.model is required"
+        @_bookControllers = []
+
         options.templateName = 'recipe_catalog'
         super options
+
+    # BaseController Overrides #####################################################################
+
+    onDidRender: ->
+        @$table = @$('table')
+        super
+
+    refresh: ->
+        @$('table tr:not(:last-child)').remove()
+        return unless @model?
+
+        @_bookControllers = []
+        for i in [@model.books.length-1..0] by -1
+            book = @model.books[i]
+            controller = new RecipeBookController model:book
+            controller.render()
+            @_bookControllers.push controller
+            @$table.prepend controller.$el
+
+        super
diff --git a/src/scripts/crafting_guide_router.coffee b/src/scripts/crafting_guide_router.coffee
index ce971d19e..22ac41aeb 100644
--- a/src/scripts/crafting_guide_router.coffee
+++ b/src/scripts/crafting_guide_router.coffee
@@ -41,14 +41,15 @@ module.exports = class CraftingGuideRouter extends Backbone.Router
         show = =>
             @_page = controller
 
+            controller.onWillShow()
             controller.render()
-            # controller.$el.css 'opacity', Opacity.hidden
 
             $pageContent = $('.page')
             $pageContent.empty()
             $pageContent.append controller.$el
 
-            controller.$el.fadeIn showDuration
+            controller.$el.fadeIn showDuration, ->
+                controller.onDidShow()
 
         if @_mainController?
             showDuration = Duration.fast
diff --git a/src/scripts/models/recipe_catalog.coffee b/src/scripts/models/recipe_catalog.coffee
index ad5a30f53..a9be601f6 100644
--- a/src/scripts/models/recipe_catalog.coffee
+++ b/src/scripts/models/recipe_catalog.coffee
@@ -5,9 +5,10 @@
 # All rights reserved.
 ###
 
-BaseModel        = require './base_model'
-{Event}         = require '../constants'
-RecipeBookParser = require './recipe_book_parser'
+BaseModel         = require './base_model'
+{DefaultBookUrls} = require '../constants'
+{Event}           = require '../constants'
+RecipeBookParser  = require './recipe_book_parser'
 
 ########################################################################################################################
 
@@ -18,35 +19,51 @@ module.exports = class RecipeCatalog extends BaseModel
         super attributes, options
 
         @_parser = new RecipeBookParser
+        if @books.length is 0
+            @loadAllBooks DefaultBookUrls
 
     # Public Methods ###############################################################################
 
     loadBook: (url)->
-        @trigger Event.book.load.started, this, url
-        $.ajax
-            url: url
-            dataType: 'json'
-            success: (data, status, xhr)=> @onBookLoaded(data, status, xhr)
-            error: (xhr, status, error)=> @onBookLoadFailed(error, status, xhr)
+        w.promise (resolve, reject)=>
+            @trigger Event.load.started, this, url
+            $.ajax
+                url: url
+                dataType: 'json'
+                success: (data, status, xhr)=>
+                    resolve @onBookLoaded(url, data, status, xhr)
+                error: (xhr, status, error)=>
+                    reject @onBookLoadFailed(url, error, status, xhr)
+
+    loadAllBooks: (urlList)->
+        promises = (@loadBook(url) for url in urlList)
+        return w.settle promises
 
     # Event Methods ################################################################################
 
-    onBookLoaded: (data, status, xhr)->
+    onBookLoaded: (url, data, status, xhr)->
         try
-            @books.push @_parser.parse data
-            _(@books).sortBy 'name'
+            book = @_parser.parse data
+            @books.push book
+            @books.sort (a, b)->
+                return 0 if a.modName is b.modName
+                return if a.modName < b.modName then -1 else +1
 
-            logger.info "loaded recipe book: #{book}"
-            @trigger Event.book.load.succeeded, this, book
-            @trigger Event.book.load.finished, this
+            logger.info "loaded recipe book from #{url}: #{book}"
+            @trigger Event.load.succeeded, this, book
+            @trigger Event.load.finished, this
+            @trigger Event.change, this
+
+            return book
         catch e
-            @onBookLoadFailed error, status, xhr
+            @onBookLoadFailed url, e, status, xhr
 
-
-    onBookLoadFailed: (error, status, xhr)->
-        logger.error "failed to load recipe book: #{error}"
-        @trigger Event.book.load.failed, this, error.message
-        @trigger Event.book.load.finished, this
+    onBookLoadFailed: (url, error, status, xhr)->
+        message = if error.stack? then error.stack else error
+        logger.error "failed to load recipe book from #{url}: #{message}"
+        @trigger Event.load.failed, this, error.message
+        @trigger Event.load.finished, this
+        return error
 
     # Object Overrides #############################################################################
 
diff --git a/src/scripts/views.js b/src/scripts/views.js
index d4d321650..7261fbd2d 100644
--- a/src/scripts/views.js
+++ b/src/scripts/views.js
@@ -11,13 +11,22 @@ var jade_indent = [];
 buf.push("\n<div class=\"view__landing_page\">\n  <div class=\"view__recipe_catalog\"></div>\n  <div class=\"view__crafter\"></div>\n</div>");;return buf.join("");
 };
 
+this["JST"]["recipe_book"] = function template(locals) {
+var buf = [];
+var jade_mixins = {};
+var jade_interp;
+
+var jade_indent = [];
+buf.push("\n<tr>\n  <td>\n    <p></p>\n  </td>\n  <td>\n    <p></p>\n  </td>\n</tr>");;return buf.join("");
+};
+
 this["JST"]["recipe_catalog"] = function template(locals) {
 var buf = [];
 var jade_mixins = {};
 var jade_interp;
 
 var jade_indent = [];
-buf.push("\n<div class=\"view__recipe_catalog\">\n  <h2><img src=\"/images/bookshelf.png\"/>\n    <p>Recipe Catalog</p>\n  </h2>\n  <table class=\"books\">\n    <tr>\n      <td>&nbsp;</td>\n      <td>\n        <input placeholder=\"enter a URL to load another recipe book...\" class=\"recipe_book_url\"/>\n        <button class=\"recipe_book_load_button\">Load</button>\n      </td>\n    </tr>\n  </table>\n  <div class=\"load_error\">\n    <p></p>\n  </div>\n</div>");;return buf.join("");
+buf.push("\n<div class=\"view__recipe_catalog\">\n  <h2><img src=\"/images/bookshelf.png\"/>\n    <p>Recipe Catalog</p>\n  </h2>\n  <table>\n    <tr>\n      <td>&nbsp;</td>\n      <td>\n        <input placeholder=\"enter a URL to load another recipe book...\" class=\"recipe_book_url\"/>\n        <button class=\"recipe_book_load_button\">Load</button>\n      </td>\n    </tr>\n  </table>\n  <div class=\"load_error\">\n    <p></p>\n  </div>\n</div>");;return buf.join("");
 };
 
 this["JST"]["test"] = function template(locals) {
diff --git a/src/templates/recipe_book.jade b/src/templates/recipe_book.jade
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..443e7f6c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/templates/recipe_book.jade
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+//-
+//- Crafting Guide - recipe_book.jade
+//-
+//- Copyright (c) 2014 by Redwood Labs
+//- All rights reserved.
+//-
+
+tr
+    td: p
+    td: p
diff --git a/src/templates/recipe_catalog.jade b/src/templates/recipe_catalog.jade
index b7190380b..5d51a5e2a 100644
--- a/src/templates/recipe_catalog.jade
+++ b/src/templates/recipe_catalog.jade
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
         img(src="/images/bookshelf.png")
         p Recipe Catalog
 
-    table.books
+    table
         tr
             td &nbsp;
             td