diff --git a/pyreadline/__init__.py b/pyreadline/__init__.py
index 02da956..c0845c5 100644
--- a/pyreadline/__init__.py
+++ b/pyreadline/__init__.py
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ __all__ = [ 'parse_and_bind',
             'set_completer_delims',
             'get_completer_delims',
             'add_history',
+            'callback_handler_install',
+            'callback_handler_remove',
+            'callback_read_char',
             'GetOutputFile',
             'rl',
             'rlmain']
diff --git a/pyreadline/examples/callback_example.py b/pyreadline/examples/callback_example.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d7fdc44
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pyreadline/examples/callback_example.py
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+'''
+Example script using the callback interface of readline.
+
+:author: strank
+'''
+
+__docformat__ = "restructuredtext en"
+
+import sys
+import os
+import time
+
+import readline
+
+import msvcrt
+from pyreadline.rlmain import rl
+
+prompting = True
+count = 0
+maxlines = 10
+
+
+def main():
+    readline.callback_handler_install('Starting test, please do type:' + os.linesep, lineReceived)
+    index = 0
+    start = int(time.time())
+    while prompting:
+        # demonstrate that async stuff is possible:
+        if start + index < time.time():
+            rl.console.title("NON-BLOCKING: %d" % index)
+            index += 1
+        # ugly busy waiting/polling on windows, using 'select' on Unix: (or use twisted)
+        if msvcrt.kbhit():
+            readline.callback_read_char()
+    print "Done, index =", index
+
+
+def lineReceived(line):
+    global count, prompting
+    count += 1
+    print "Got line: %s" % line
+    if count > maxlines:
+        prompting = False
+        readline.callback_handler_remove()
+    else:
+        readline.callback_handler_install('Got %s of %s, more typing please:' % (count, maxlines)
+                                          + os.linesep, lineReceived)
+
+
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    main()
diff --git a/pyreadline/modes/basemode.py b/pyreadline/modes/basemode.py
index 524861b..7eb58b5 100644
--- a/pyreadline/modes/basemode.py
+++ b/pyreadline/modes/basemode.py
@@ -55,10 +55,6 @@ class BaseMode(object):
         return val
     argument_reset=property(_argreset)
         
-#    _history=property(_g("_history"))
-#    l_buffer=property(*_gs("l_buffer"))
-
-
 #used in readline
     ctrl_c_tap_time_interval=property(*_gs("ctrl_c_tap_time_interval"))
     allow_ctrl_c=property(*_gs("allow_ctrl_c"))
@@ -77,8 +73,6 @@ class BaseMode(object):
     _bell=property(_g("_bell"))
     bell_style=property(_g("bell_style"))
 
-    rl_settings_to_string=property(_g("rl_settings_to_string"))
-
 #used in emacs
     _clear_after=property(_g("_clear_after"))
     _update_prompt_pos=property(_g("_update_prompt_pos"))
@@ -91,12 +85,65 @@ class BaseMode(object):
 
 #not used in basemode or emacs
 
+    def readline_event_available(self):
+        return self.console.peek() or (len(self.paste_line_buffer)>0)
+        
     def _readline_from_keyboard(self):
-        raise NotImplementedError
+        while 1:
+            if self._readline_from_keyboard_poll():
+                break
+
+    def _readline_from_keyboard_poll(self):
+        if len(self.paste_line_buffer)>0:
+            #paste first line in multiline paste buffer
+            self.l_buffer=lineobj.ReadLineTextBuffer(self.paste_line_buffer[0])
+            self._update_line()
+            self.paste_line_buffer=self.paste_line_buffer[1:]
+            return True
+
+        c=self.console
+        def nop(e):
+            pass
+        try:
+            event = c.getkeypress()
+        except KeyboardInterrupt:
+            event=self.handle_ctrl_c()
+
+        if self.next_meta:
+            self.next_meta = False
+            control, meta, shift, code = event.keyinfo
+            event.keyinfo = (control, True, shift, code)
+        result=self.process_keyevent(event.keyinfo)
+        self._update_line()
+        return result
 
     def readline(self, prompt=''):
-        '''Try to act like GNU readline.'''
-        # handle startup_hook
+        self.readline_setup(prompt)
+        self._readline_from_keyboard()
+        self.console.write('\r\n')
+        log('returning(%s)' % self.l_buffer.get_line_text())
+        return self.l_buffer.get_line_text() + '\n'
+
+    def handle_ctrl_c(self):
+        from pyreadline.keysyms.common import KeyPress
+        from pyreadline.console.event import Event
+        log_sock("KBDIRQ")
+        event=Event(0,0)
+        event.char="c"
+        event.keyinfo=KeyPress("c",shift=False,control=True,meta=False,keyname=None)
+        if self.allow_ctrl_c:
+            now=time.time()
+            if (now-self.ctrl_c_timeout)<self.ctrl_c_tap_time_interval:
+                log_sock("Raise KeyboardInterrupt")
+                raise KeyboardInterrupt
+            else:
+                self.ctrl_c_timeout=now
+        else:
+            raise KeyboardInterrupt
+        return event
+
+
+    def readline_setup(self, prompt=''):
         self.ctrl_c_timeout=time.time()
         self.l_buffer.selection_mark=-1
         if self.first_prompt:
@@ -120,49 +167,10 @@ class BaseMode(object):
                 print 'pre_input_hook failed'
                 traceback.print_exc()
                 self.pre_input_hook = None
+        self._update_line()
 
-        log("in readline: %s"%self.paste_line_buffer)
-        if len(self.paste_line_buffer)>0:
-            self.l_buffer=lineobj.ReadLineTextBuffer(self.paste_line_buffer[0])
-            self._update_line()
-            self.paste_line_buffer=self.paste_line_buffer[1:]
-            c.write('\r\n')
-        else:
-            while 1:
-                self._update_line()
-                lbuf=self.l_buffer
-                log_sock("point:%d mark:%d selection_mark:%d"%(lbuf.point,lbuf.mark,lbuf.selection_mark))
-                try:
-                    event = c.getkeypress()
-                    log_sock(u">>%s"%event)
-                except KeyboardInterrupt:
-                    from pyreadline.keysyms.common import KeyPress
-                    from pyreadline.console.event import Event
-                    event=Event(0,0)
-                    event.char="c"
-                    event.keyinfo=KeyPress("c",shift=False,control=True,meta=False,keyname=None)
-                    log_sock("KBDIRQ")
-                    if self.allow_ctrl_c:
-                        now=time.time()
-                        if (now-self.ctrl_c_timeout)<self.ctrl_c_tap_time_interval:
-                            raise
-                        else:
-                            self.ctrl_c_timeout=now
-                        pass
-                    else:
-                        raise
-                if self.next_meta:
-                    self.next_meta = False
-                    control, meta, shift, code = event.keyinfo
-                    event.keyinfo = (control, True, shift, code)
-                if self.process_keyevent(event.keyinfo):
-                    break
-            c.write('\r\n')
 
-        self.add_history(self.l_buffer.copy())
-
-        log('returning(%s)' % self.l_buffer.get_line_text())
-        return self.l_buffer.get_line_text() + '\n'
+####################################
 
 
 
@@ -529,7 +537,6 @@ class BaseMode(object):
         '''Copy the text in the region to the windows clipboard.'''
         self.l_buffer.cut_selection_to_clipboard()
 
-
     def dump_functions(self, e): # ()
         '''Print all of the functions and their key bindings to the Readline
         output stream. If a numeric argument is supplied, the output is
@@ -540,9 +547,6 @@ class BaseMode(object):
         print txt
         self._print_prompt()
 
-
-
-
 def commonprefix(m):
     "Given a list of pathnames, returns the longest common leading component"
     if not m: return ''
diff --git a/pyreadline/modes/emacs.py b/pyreadline/modes/emacs.py
index 61be412..116c9df 100644
--- a/pyreadline/modes/emacs.py
+++ b/pyreadline/modes/emacs.py
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ class EmacsMode(basemode.BaseMode):
         self.previous_func = dispatch_func
         if r:
             self._update_line()
+            self.add_history(self.l_buffer.copy())
             return True
         return False
 
diff --git a/pyreadline/rlmain.py b/pyreadline/rlmain.py
index ceb9f05..44a59c4 100644
--- a/pyreadline/rlmain.py
+++ b/pyreadline/rlmain.py
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ class Readline(object):
         self.enable_win32_clipboard=True
 
         self.paste_line_buffer=[]
+        self.callback = None
 
     #Below is for refactoring, raise errors when using old style attributes 
     #that should be refactored out
@@ -135,7 +136,7 @@ class Readline(object):
 
     def get_line_buffer(self):
         '''Return the current contents of the line buffer.'''
-        return self.l_buffer.mode.get_line_text()
+        return self.mode.l_buffer.get_line_text()
 
     def insert_text(self, string):
         '''Insert text into the command line.'''
@@ -318,10 +319,50 @@ class Readline(object):
             self._clear_after()
         c.cursor(1)         #Show cursor
         self._set_cursor()
+
+#
+# Standard call
+#
     
     def readline(self, prompt=''):
         return self.mode.readline(prompt)
 
+#
+# Callback interface
+#
+
+    def event_available(self):
+        return self.mode.readline_event_available()
+
+    def setup(self,prompt=""):
+        return self.mode.readline_setup(prompt)
+
+    def keyboard_poll(self):
+        return self.mode._readline_from_keyboard_poll()
+
+    def callback_handler_install(self, prompt, callback):
+        '''bool readline_callback_handler_install ( string prompt, callback callback)
+        Initializes the readline callback interface and terminal, prints the prompt and returns immediately
+        '''
+        self.callback = callback
+        self.mode.readline_setup(prompt)
+
+    def callback_handler_remove(self):
+        '''Removes a previously installed callback handler and restores terminal settings'''
+        self.callback = None
+
+    def callback_read_char(self):
+        '''Reads a character and informs the readline callback interface when a line is received'''
+        if self.keyboard_poll():
+            line = self.get_line_buffer() + '\n'
+            self.console.write('\r\n') # this is the newline terminating input
+            # however there is another newline added by
+            # self.mode.readline_setup(prompt) which is called by callback_handler_install
+            # this differs from GNU readline
+            self.add_history(self.mode.l_buffer)
+            # TADA:
+            self.callback(line)
+
     def read_inputrc(self,inputrcpath=os.path.expanduser("~/pyreadlineconfig.ini")):
         modes=dict([(x.mode,x) for x in self.editingmodes])
         mode=self.editingmodes[0].mode
@@ -451,6 +492,9 @@ set_completer_delims = rl.set_completer_delims
 get_completer_delims = rl.get_completer_delims
 set_startup_hook = rl.set_startup_hook
 set_pre_input_hook = rl.set_pre_input_hook
+callback_handler_install=rl.callback_handler_install
+callback_handler_remove=rl.callback_handler_remove
+callback_read_char=rl.callback_read_char
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     res = [ rl.readline('In[%d] ' % i) for i in range(3) ]