diff --git a/src/config/mod.rs b/src/config/mod.rs
index 412bcc54..be74b7fc 100644
--- a/src/config/mod.rs
+++ b/src/config/mod.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+use std::collections::BTreeMap;
+use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
+use std::fs::File;
+use std::io::Read;
+use toml::{self, Value};
+
+use errors::*;
+
 pub mod bookconfig;
 pub mod htmlconfig;
 pub mod playpenconfig;
@@ -9,3 +17,93 @@ pub use self::bookconfig::BookConfig;
 pub use self::htmlconfig::HtmlConfig;
 pub use self::playpenconfig::PlaypenConfig;
 pub use self::tomlconfig::TomlConfig;
+
+
+/// The overall configuration object for MDBook.
+#[derive(Clone, Default, PartialEq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[serde(default)]
+pub struct Config {
+    /// Metadata about the book.
+    pub book: BookConfig_,
+    /// Arbitrary information which renderers can use during the rendering
+    /// stage.
+    pub output: BTreeMap<String, Value>,
+    /// Information for use by preprocessors.
+    pub preprocess: BTreeMap<String, Value>,
+    /// Information for use by postprocessors.
+    pub postprocess: BTreeMap<String, Value>,
+}
+
+impl Config {
+    /// Load a `Config` from some string.
+    pub fn from_str(src: &str) -> Result<Config> {
+        toml::from_str(src).chain_err(|| Error::from("Invalid configuration file"))
+    }
+
+    /// Load the configuration file from disk.
+    pub fn from_disk<P: AsRef<Path>>(config_file: P) -> Result<Config> {
+        let mut buffer = String::new();
+        File::open(config_file)
+            .chain_err(|| "Unable to open the configuration file")?
+            .read_to_string(&mut buffer)
+            .chain_err(|| "Couldn't read the file")?;
+
+        Config::from_str(&buffer)
+    }
+
+    /// Convenience method for getting the html renderer's configuration.
+    ///
+    /// # Note
+    ///
+    /// This is for compatibility only. It will be removed completely once the
+    /// rendering and plugin system is established.
+    pub fn html_config(&self) -> Option<HtmlConfig_> {
+        self.output
+            .get("html")
+            .and_then(|value| HtmlConfig_::from_toml(value).ok())
+    }
+}
+
+
+/// Configuration options which are specific to the book and required for
+/// loading it from disk.
+#[derive(Clone, Default, PartialEq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[serde(default, rename_all = "kebab-case")]
+pub struct BookConfig_ {
+    /// The book's title.
+    pub title: Option<String>,
+    /// The book's authors.
+    pub authors: Vec<String>,
+    /// An optional description for the book.
+    pub description: Option<String>,
+    /// Location of the book source, relative to the book's root directory.
+    pub src: PathBuf,
+    /// Where to put built artefacts, relative to the book's root directory.
+    pub build_dir: PathBuf,
+    /// Does this book support more than one language?
+    pub multilingual: bool,
+}
+
+#[derive(Clone, Default, PartialEq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[serde(default, rename_all = "kebab-case")]
+pub struct HtmlConfig_ {
+    pub theme: Option<PathBuf>,
+    pub curly_quotes: bool,
+    pub mathjax_support: bool,
+    pub google_analytics: Option<String>,
+    pub additional_css: Vec<PathBuf>,
+    pub additional_js: Vec<PathBuf>,
+    pub playpen: Playpen,
+}
+
+impl HtmlConfig_ {
+    pub fn from_toml(value: &Value) -> Result<HtmlConfig_> {
+        value
+            .clone()
+            .try_into()
+            .chain_err(|| "Unable to deserialize the HTML config")
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Clone, Default, PartialEq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+pub struct Playpen;
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index cec4617d..ad5cdc08 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ extern crate serde_derive;
 #[macro_use]
 extern crate serde_json;
 extern crate tempdir;
+extern crate toml;
 
 mod parse;
 mod preprocess;