diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 91b57a5..2e3daf6 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ Easily create EPUB e-book files with proper RTL support.
 
 This is a web app that uses [pandoc](https://pandoc.org) to create .epub files for e-books in RTL languages. Making RTL e-books can be tricky. This tries app tries to simplify the process as much as possible, so that anyone can make them.
 
-[Try it live - RTL EPUB Maker](https://rtl-epub-maker.lingdocs.com)
+### [Try it live - RTL EPUB Maker 📚](https://rtl-epub-maker.lingdocs.com)
 
 ## Running
 
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ If you are using `linux/amd64` architecture you can just run the [the docker ima
 docker compose up
 ```
 
-If you are using an architecture other than `linux/amd64` you will need to build your own Docker image.
+If you are using an architecture other than `linux/amd64` you will need to build your own docker image.
 
 ```sh
 docker build . -t rtl-epub-maker
@@ -52,4 +52,4 @@ The app will be served on `http://localhost:3001`. Add a reverse proxy with SSL
 
 ---
 
-Code is licensed under a [MIT License](https://github.com/lingdocs/rtl-epub-maker/blob/master/LICENSE). Contributions are welcome.
+Code is licensed under an [MIT License](https://github.com/lingdocs/rtl-epub-maker/blob/master/LICENSE). Contributions are welcome.
diff --git a/components/BookInfoInput.tsx b/components/BookInfoInput.tsx
index 9e29d2f..befb9fe 100644
--- a/components/BookInfoInput.tsx
+++ b/components/BookInfoInput.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { ChangeEvent, useState, useRef } from "react";
 import Select from "react-select";
+import LanguageSelect from "./LanguageSelect";
 
 const requiredFields = [
     "title",
@@ -20,8 +21,7 @@ type Option = {
     label: string,
 };
 
-const baseSettings = {
-    language: "ps-AF",  
+const baseSettings = { 
     dir: "rtl",
     "page-progression-direction": "rtl",
 };
@@ -55,6 +55,21 @@ function BookInfoInput({ handleSubmit }: { handleSubmit: (info: { frontmatter: F
             [name]: value,
         }));
     }
+    function handleLanguageChange(lang: string | null) {
+        setState(s => {
+            if (!lang) {
+                delete s.lang;
+                delete s.language;
+                return s
+            }
+            return {
+                ...s,
+                // TODO: using both, but which is proper/necessary?
+                lang,
+                language: lang,
+            };
+        });
+    }
     function submit() {
         const cover = coverRef.current.files[0] as (File | undefined);
         handleSubmit({
@@ -65,24 +80,24 @@ function BookInfoInput({ handleSubmit }: { handleSubmit: (info: { frontmatter: F
             cover,
         });
     }
+    console.log(state);
+    console.log("will render");
     return <div style={{ maxWidth: "500px" }}>
         <div className="my-3">
             <label htmlFor="cover-file" className="form-label">cover image <span className="text-muted">(.jpg or .png less than 5mb)</span></label>
             <input multiple={false} ref={coverRef} className="form-control" type="file" id="cover-file" accept="image/jpeg,image/png"/>
         </div>
         {fields.map((field) => (
-            <div key={field} className="d-flex flex-row align-items-end mb-2">
-                <div className="col-auto" style={{ width: "100%" }}>
-                    <label htmlFor={field} className="form-label d-flex flex-row align-items-center">
-                        {!requiredFields.includes(field) && <span className="me-2">
-                            <button type="button" className="btn btn-sm btn-outline-secondary" onClick={() => handleRemoveField(field)}>
-                                X
-                            </button>
-                        </span>}
-                        <span>{field}</span>
-                    </label>
-                    <input onChange={handleFieldChange} type="text" className="form-control" id={field} name={field} value={state[field]} />
-                </div>
+            <div className="mb-2">
+                <label htmlFor={field} className="form-label d-flex flex-row align-items-center">
+                    {!requiredFields.includes(field) && <span className="me-2">
+                        <button type="button" className="btn btn-sm btn-outline-secondary" onClick={() => handleRemoveField(field)}>
+                            X
+                        </button>
+                    </span>}
+                    <span>{field}</span>
+                </label>
+                <input onChange={handleFieldChange} type="text" className="form-control" id={field} name={field} value={state[field]} />
             </div>
         ))}
         <div className="mt-4 mb-2">add fields:</div>
@@ -97,6 +112,7 @@ function BookInfoInput({ handleSubmit }: { handleSubmit: (info: { frontmatter: F
           // @ts-ignore
           options={availableFieldsOptions}
         />
+        <LanguageSelect value={state.lang} onChange={handleLanguageChange} />
         <button onClick={submit} type="button" className="btn btn-primary my-4">Create .epub</button>
     </div>
 }
diff --git a/components/LanguageSelect.tsx b/components/LanguageSelect.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..56146da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/LanguageSelect.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+import Select from "react-select";
+import { useState } from "react";
+
+const languageOptions = [
+    { value: "ar", label: "Arabic" },
+    { value: "fa", label: "Farsi" },
+    { value: "prs", label: "Dari" },
+    { value: "ps", label: "Pashto" },
+    { value: "ps-AF", label: "Pashto (Afghanistan) "},
+    { value: "ps-PK", label: "Pashto (Pakistan) "},
+    { value: "ur", label: "Urdu" },
+    { value: "other", label: "Other..." },
+];
+
+function LanguageSelect({ value, onChange }: {
+    value: string | null,
+    onChange: (language: string | null) => void,
+}) {
+    const [showingOther, setShowingOther] = useState<boolean>(false);
+    function handleChange(o: { value: string, label: string }) {
+        if (!o) {
+            onChange(null);
+        } else if (o.value === "other") {
+            setShowingOther(true);
+            onChange(null);
+        } else {
+            if (showingOther) setShowingOther(false);
+            onChange(o.value);
+        }
+    }
+    return <div>
+        <div className="mt-4 mb-2">language:</div>
+        <Select
+          className="basic-single"
+          classNamePrefix="select"
+          isClearable={true}
+          value={typeof value === "number" ? null : languageOptions.find(o => value === o.value)}
+          isSearchable
+          // @ts-ignore
+          onChange={handleChange}
+          // @ts-ignore
+          options={languageOptions}
+        />
+        {showingOther && <div className="my-2">
+            <label htmlFor="otherLang" className="form-label d-flex flex-row align-items-center">
+                <span>Custom <a href="https://www.w3.org/International/articles/language-tags/" target="_blank">IETF BCP 47</a> Language Code</span>
+            </label>
+            {/* TODO: for some reason can't use value={value} with this - but it still works */}
+            <input onChange={(e) => onChange(e.target.value)} type="text" className="form-control" id="otherLang" />
+        </div>}
+    </div>;
+}
+
+export default LanguageSelect;
\ No newline at end of file