diff --git a/README b/README
index 4ae71ff79..f2d725077 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -283,6 +283,35 @@ paragraph.  Since "Second" is followed by a list, and not a blank
 line, it isn't treated as a paragraph.  The fact that the list
 is followed by a blank line is irrelevant. 
 
+Unlike standard markdown, Pandoc allows ordered list items to be
+marked with single letters, instead of numbers.  So, for example,
+this source yields a nested ordered list:
+
+    1.  First
+    2.  Second
+        a.  Fee
+        b.  Fie
+    3.  Third
+
+Pandoc also extends standard markdown in allowing list item markers
+to be terminated by ')':
+
+    1)  First
+    2)  Second
+        A)  Fee
+        B)  Fie
+    3)  Third
+
+Note that Pandoc pays no attention to the *type* of ordered list
+item marker used.  Thus, the following is treated just the same as
+the example above:
+
+    A)  First
+    1.  Second
+        2.  Fee
+        B)  Fie
+    C)  Third
+
 ## Literal quotes in titles
 
 Standard markdown allows unescaped literal quotes in titles, as
diff --git a/src/Text/Pandoc/Readers/Markdown.hs b/src/Text/Pandoc/Readers/Markdown.hs
index df2f43e87..cbefa09fe 100644
--- a/src/Text/Pandoc/Readers/Markdown.hs
+++ b/src/Text/Pandoc/Readers/Markdown.hs
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ autoLinkEnd = '>'
 mathStart = '$'
 mathEnd = '$'
 bulletListMarkers = "*+-"
-orderedListDelimiters = "."
+orderedListDelimiters = ".)"
 escapeChar = '\\'
 hruleChars = "*-_"
 quoteChars = "'\""
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ orderedListStart =
     try (do
            option ' ' newline -- if preceded by a Plain block in a list context
            skipNonindentSpaces
-           many1 digit
+           many1 digit <|> count 1 letter
            oneOf orderedListDelimiters
            oneOf spaceChars
            skipSpaces)
@@ -535,7 +535,7 @@ title = choice [titleWith '(' ')', titleWith '"' '"', titleWith '\'' '\''] <?> "
 
 link = choice [explicitLink, referenceLink] <?> "link"
 
-explicitLink = 
+explicitLink =
     try (do
            label <- reference
            src <- source