diff --git a/son.py b/son.py
index f0d3c5ff3..0df84f795 100644
--- a/son.py
+++ b/son.py
@@ -5,6 +5,12 @@ of keys is important."""
 
 import unittest
 from UserDict import DictMixin
+from xml.parsers import expat
+from objectid import ObjectId
+from dbref import DBRef
+import datetime
+import re
+import binascii
 
 class SON(DictMixin):
     """SON data.
@@ -37,7 +43,7 @@ class SON(DictMixin):
     def __repr__(self):
         result = []
         for key in self.__keys:
-            result.append("(%s, %s)" % (repr(key), repr(self.__data[key])))
+            result.append("(%r, %r)" % (key, self.__data[key]))
         return "SON([%s])" % ", ".join(result)
 
     def update(self, data):
@@ -69,6 +75,99 @@ class SON(DictMixin):
         other.__keys = self.__keys[:]
         return other
 
+    @classmethod
+    def from_xml(cls, xml):
+        """Create an instance of SON from an xml document.
+        """
+        parser = expat.ParserCreate()
+        son_stack = []
+        list_stack = []
+        append_to = []
+        info = {}
+        extra = {}
+
+        def pad(list, index):
+            while index >= len(list):
+                list.append(None)
+
+        def set(key, value):
+            if append_to[-1] == "array":
+                index = int(key)
+                pad(list_stack[-1], index)
+                list_stack[-1][int(key)] = value
+            else:
+                son_stack[-1][key] = value
+
+        def start_element(name, attributes):
+            info["current"] = name
+            if name == "doc":
+                a = SON()
+                if attributes.has_key("name"):
+                    set(attributes["name"], a)
+                son_stack.append(a)
+                append_to.append("doc")
+            elif name == "array":
+                a = []
+                set(attributes["name"], a)
+                list_stack.append(a)
+                append_to.append("array")
+            elif name in ["id", "int", "string", "boolean", "number", "date", "code", "ref", "regex"]:
+                info["key"] = attributes["name"]
+            elif name == "null":
+                set(attributes["name"], None)
+
+        def end_element(name):
+            if name == "doc":
+                append_to.pop()
+                info["last"] = son_stack.pop()
+            elif name == "array":
+                append_to.pop()
+                info["array"] = False
+                list_stack.pop()
+            elif name == "ref":
+                set(info["key"], DBRef(extra["ns"], extra["oid"]))
+            elif name == "regex":
+                set(info["key"], re.compile(extra["pattern"], extra["options"]))
+
+        def char_data(data):
+            data = data.strip()
+            if not data:
+                return
+            if info["current"] == "id":
+                set(info["key"], ObjectId(binascii.unhexlify(data)))
+            elif info["current"] == "int":
+                set(info["key"], int(data))
+            elif info["current"] == "string":
+                set(info["key"], data)
+            elif info["current"] == "code":
+                set(info["key"], data.encode("utf-8"))
+            elif info["current"] == "boolean":
+                set(info["key"], data == "true")
+            elif info["current"] == "number":
+                set(info["key"], float(data))
+            elif info["current"] == "date":
+                set(info["key"], datetime.datetime.fromtimestamp(float(data) / 1000.0))
+            elif info["current"] == "ns":
+                extra["ns"] = data
+            elif info["current"] == "oid":
+                extra["oid"] = ObjectId(binascii.unhexlify(data))
+            elif info["current"] == "pattern":
+                extra["pattern"] = data
+            elif info["current"] == "options":
+                options = 0
+                if "i" in data:
+                    options |= re.IGNORECASE
+                if "m" in data:
+                    options |= re.MULTILINE
+                extra["options"] = options
+
+        parser.StartElementHandler = start_element
+        parser.EndElementHandler = end_element
+        parser.CharacterDataHandler = char_data
+
+        parser.Parse(xml)
+        return info["last"]
+
 class TestSON(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         pass
@@ -84,5 +183,53 @@ class TestSON(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(b["hello"], "world")
         self.assertRaises(KeyError, lambda: b["goodbye"])
 
+    def test_from_xml(self):
+        smorgasbord = """
+<twonk>
+  <meta/>
+  <doc>
+    <id name="_id">285a664923b5fcd8ec000000</id>
+    <int name="the_answer">42</int>
+    <string name="b">foo</string>
+    <boolean name="c">true</boolean>
+    <number name="pi">3.14159265358979</number>
+    <array name="an_array">
+      <string name="0">x</string>
+      <string name="1">y</string>
+      <string name="2">z</string>
+      <doc name="3">
+        <string name="subobject">yup</string>
+      </doc>
+    </array>
+    <date name="now">123144452057</date>
+    <ref name="dbref">
+      <ns>namespace</ns>
+      <oid>ca5c67496c01d896f7010000</oid>
+    </ref>
+    <regex name="regex">
+      <pattern>foobar</pattern>
+      <options>i</options>
+    </regex>
+    <code name="$where">this is code</code>
+    <null name="mynull"/>
+  </doc>
+</twonk>
+"""
+        self.assertEqual(SON.from_xml(smorgasbord),
+                         SON([(u"_id", ObjectId("\x28\x5A\x66\x49\x23\xB5\xFC\xD8\xEC\x00\x00\x00")),
+                              (u"the_answer", 42),
+                              (u"b", u"foo"),
+                              (u"c", True),
+                              (u"pi", 3.14159265358979),
+                              (u"an_array", [u"x", u"y", u"z", SON([(u"subobject", u"yup")])]),
+                              (u"now", datetime.datetime(1973, 11, 26, 1, 47, 32, 57000)),
+                              (u"dbref",
+                               DBRef("namespace",
+                                     ObjectId("\xCA\x5C\x67\x49\x6C\x01\xD8\x96\xF7\x01\x00\x00"))),
+                              (u"regex", re.compile(u"foobar", re.IGNORECASE)),
+                              (u"$where", "this is code"),
+                              (u"mynull", None),
+                              ]))
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()