diff --git a/examples/id_sexp.ml b/examples/id_sexp.ml
index 3280466d..75f87a6e 100644
--- a/examples/id_sexp.ml
+++ b/examples/id_sexp.ml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 let () =
   if Array.length Sys.argv <> 2 then failwith "usage: id_sexp file";
   let f = Sys.argv.(1) in
-  let s = Sexp.parse_l_file f in
+  let s = Sexp.L.of_file f in
   match s with
   | `Ok l ->
       List.iter
diff --git a/misc/sexp.ml b/misc/sexp.ml
index 3cfd4b46..e65d6f76 100644
--- a/misc/sexp.ml
+++ b/misc/sexp.ml
@@ -33,14 +33,35 @@ type t =
   | Atom of string
   | List of t list
 
-let eq a b = a = b
+let equal a b = a = b
 
 let compare a b = Pervasives.compare a b
 
 let hash a = Hashtbl.hash a
 
+let _with_in filename f =
+  let ic = open_in filename in
+  try
+    let x = f ic in
+    close_in ic;
+    x
+  with e ->
+    close_in ic;
+    `Error (Printexc.to_string e)
+
+let _with_out filename f =
+  let oc = open_out filename in
+  try
+    let x = f oc in
+    close_out oc;
+    x
+  with e ->
+    close_out oc;
+    raise e
+
 (** {2 Serialization (encoding)} *)
 
+(* shall we escape the string because of one of its chars? *)
 let _must_escape s =
   try
     for i = 0 to String.length s - 1 do
@@ -101,17 +122,13 @@ let to_chan oc t =
   print fmt t;
   Format.pp_print_flush fmt ()
 
-let seq_to_file filename seq =
-  let oc = open_out filename in
-  try
-    seq
-      (fun t -> to_chan oc t; output_char oc '\n');
-    close_out oc
-  with e ->
-    close_out oc;
-    raise e
+let to_file_seq filename seq =
+  _with_out filename
+    (fun oc -> 
+      seq (fun t -> to_chan oc t; output_char oc '\n')
+    )
 
-let to_file filename t = seq_to_file filename (fun k -> k t)
+let to_file filename t = to_file_seq filename (fun k -> k t)
 
 (** {2 Deserialization (decoding)} *)
 
@@ -472,51 +489,66 @@ let parse_chan ?bufsize ic =
 
 (** {6 Blocking} *)
 
-let parse1_chan ic =
+let of_chan ic =
   ParseGen.head (parse_chan ic)
 
-let parse1_string s =
+let of_string s =
   ParseGen.head (parse_string s)
 
-let parse_l_chan ?bufsize ic =
-  ParseGen.to_list (parse_chan ?bufsize ic)
+let of_file f =
+  _with_in f of_chan
 
-let parse_l_file ?bufsize filename =
-  let ic = open_in filename in
-  try
-    let l = parse_l_chan ?bufsize ic in
-    close_in ic;
-    l
-  with e ->
-    close_in ic;
-    `Error (Printexc.to_string e)
+module L = struct
+  let to_buf b l =
+    List.iter (to_buf b) l
 
-let parse_l_string s =
-  ParseGen.to_list (parse_string s)
+  let to_string l =
+    let b = Buffer.create 32 in
+    to_buf b l;
+    Buffer.contents b
 
-let parse_l_gen g =
-  ParseGen.to_list (parse_gen g)
+  let to_chan oc l =
+    let fmt = Format.formatter_of_out_channel oc in
+    List.iter (Format.fprintf fmt "%a@." print) l;
+    Format.pp_print_flush fmt ()
 
-exception OhNoes of string
-exception StopNaow
+  let to_file filename l =
+    _with_out filename (fun oc -> to_chan oc l)
 
-let parse_l_seq seq =
-  let src = Source.Manual.make () in
-  let ps = mk_ps (Source.Manual.to_src src) in
-  let l = ref [] in
-  (* read as many expressions as possible *)
-  let rec _nexts () = match _next ps with
-    | `Ok x -> l := x :: !l; _nexts ()
-    | `Error e -> raise (OhNoes e)
-    | `End -> raise StopNaow
-    | `Await -> ()
-  in
-  try
-    seq
-      (fun s -> Source.Manual.feed src s 0 (String.length s); _nexts ());
-    Source.Manual.reached_end src;
-    _nexts ();
-    `Ok (List.rev !l)
-  with
-  | OhNoes msg -> `Error msg
-  | StopNaow -> `Ok (List.rev !l)
+  let of_chan ?bufsize ic =
+    ParseGen.to_list (parse_chan ?bufsize ic)
+
+  let of_file ?bufsize filename =
+    _with_in filename
+      (fun ic -> of_chan ?bufsize ic)
+
+  let of_string s =
+    ParseGen.to_list (parse_string s)
+
+  let of_gen g =
+    ParseGen.to_list (parse_gen g)
+
+  exception OhNoes of string
+  exception StopNaow
+
+  let of_seq seq =
+    let src = Source.Manual.make () in
+    let ps = mk_ps (Source.Manual.to_src src) in
+    let l = ref [] in
+    (* read as many expressions as possible *)
+    let rec _nexts () = match _next ps with
+      | `Ok x -> l := x :: !l; _nexts ()
+      | `Error e -> raise (OhNoes e)
+      | `End -> raise StopNaow
+      | `Await -> ()
+    in
+    try
+      seq
+        (fun s -> Source.Manual.feed src s 0 (String.length s); _nexts ());
+      Source.Manual.reached_end src;
+      _nexts ();
+      `Ok (List.rev !l)
+    with
+    | OhNoes msg -> `Error msg
+    | StopNaow -> `Ok (List.rev !l)
+end
diff --git a/misc/sexp.mli b/misc/sexp.mli
index 319dd495..50950b53 100644
--- a/misc/sexp.mli
+++ b/misc/sexp.mli
@@ -23,7 +23,9 @@ OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
 OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 *)
 
-(** {1 Simple S-expression parsing/printing} *)
+(** {1 Simple and efficient S-expression parsing/printing}
+
+@since NEXT_RELEASE *)
 
 type 'a or_error = [ `Ok of 'a | `Error of string ]
 type 'a sequence = ('a -> unit) -> unit
@@ -35,15 +37,21 @@ type t =
   | Atom of string
   | List of t list
 
-val eq : t -> t -> bool
+val equal : t -> t -> bool
 val compare : t -> t -> int
 val hash : t -> int
 
 (** {2 Serialization (encoding)} *)
 
 val to_buf : Buffer.t -> t -> unit
+
 val to_string : t -> string
+
 val to_file : string -> t -> unit
+
+val to_file_seq : string -> t sequence -> unit
+(** Print the given sequence of expressions to a file *)
+
 val to_chan : out_channel -> t -> unit
 
 val print : Format.formatter -> t -> unit
@@ -52,16 +60,12 @@ val print : Format.formatter -> t -> unit
 val print_noindent : Format.formatter -> t -> unit
 (** Raw, direct printing as compact as possible *)
 
-val seq_to_file : string -> t sequence -> unit
-(** Print the given sequence of expressions to a file *)
-
 (** {2 Deserialization (decoding)} *)
 
 type 'a parse_result = ['a or_error | `End ]
 type 'a partial_result = [ 'a parse_result | `Await ]
 
-(** {6 Streaming Parsing} *)
-
+(** {6 Source of characters} *)
 module Source : sig
   type individual_char =
     | NC_yield of char
@@ -105,6 +109,8 @@ module Source : sig
   val of_gen : string gen -> t
 end
 
+(** {6 Streaming Lexer}
+splits the input into opening parenthesis, closing ones, and atoms *)
 module Lexer : sig
   type t
   (** A streaming lexer, that parses atomic chunks of S-expressions (atoms
@@ -148,7 +154,8 @@ module ParseGen : sig
   val take : int -> 'a t -> 'a t
 end
 
-(** {6 Stream Parser} *)
+(** {6 Stream Parser}
+Returns a lazy stream of S-expressions. *)
 
 val parse_string : string -> t ParseGen.t
 (** Parse a string *)
@@ -159,20 +166,37 @@ val parse_chan : ?bufsize:int -> in_channel -> t ParseGen.t
 val parse_gen : string gen -> t ParseGen.t
 (** Parse chunks of string *)
 
-(** {6 Blocking} *)
+(** {6 Blocking API}
+Parse one S-expression from some source.  *)
 
-val parse1_chan : in_channel -> t or_error
+val of_chan : in_channel -> t or_error
+(** Parse a S-expression from the given channel. Can read more data than
+    necessary, so don't use this if you need finer-grained control (e.g.
+    to read something else {b after} the S-exp) *)
 
-val parse1_string : string -> t or_error
+val of_string : string -> t or_error
 
-val parse_l_chan : ?bufsize:int -> in_channel -> t list or_error
-(** Parse values from a channel. *)
+val of_file : string -> t or_error
+(** Open the file and read a S-exp from it *)
 
-val parse_l_file : ?bufsize:int -> string -> t list or_error
-(** Parse a file *)
+(** {6 Lists of S-exps} *)
 
-val parse_l_string : string -> t list or_error
+module L : sig
+  val to_buf : Buffer.t -> t list -> unit
 
-val parse_l_gen : string gen -> t list or_error
+  val to_string : t list -> string
 
-val parse_l_seq : string sequence -> t list or_error
+  val to_file : string -> t list -> unit
+
+  val to_chan : out_channel -> t list -> unit
+
+  val of_chan : ?bufsize:int -> in_channel -> t list or_error
+
+  val of_file : ?bufsize:int -> string -> t list or_error
+
+  val of_string : string -> t list or_error
+
+  val of_gen : string gen -> t list or_error
+
+  val of_seq : string sequence -> t list or_error
+end