diff --git a/test/list.py b/test/list.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a7387e2d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/list.py
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+'''
+>>> from list_ext import *
+
+>>> new_list()
+[]
+
+>>> listify((1,2,3))
+[1, 2, 3]
+
+>>> letters = listify_string('hello')
+>>> letters
+['h', 'e', 'l', 'l', 'o']
+
+>>> X(22)
+X(22)
+
+>>> def identity(x):
+...     return x
+>>> assert apply_object_list(identity, letters) is letters
+
+  5 is not convertible to a list
+
+>>> try: apply_object_list(identity, 5)
+... except TypeError: pass
+... else: print 'expected an exception'
+
+>>> append_object(letters, '.')
+>>> letters
+['h', 'e', 'l', 'l', 'o', '.']
+
+  tuples do not automatically convert to lists when passed as arguments
+  
+>>> try: append_list(letters, (1,2))
+... except TypeError: pass
+... else: print 'expected an exception'
+
+>>> append_list(letters, [1,2])
+>>> letters
+['h', 'e', 'l', 'l', 'o', '.', [1, 2]]
+
+>>> def printer(*args):
+...     for x in args: print x,
+...     print
+...
+
+>>> y = X(42)
+>>> exercise(letters, y, printer)
+after append:
+['h', 'e', 'l', 'l', 'o', '.', [1, 2], X(42), 5, X(3)]
+number of X(42) instances: 1
+number of 5s: 1
+after extend:
+['h', 'e', 'l', 'l', 'o', '.', [1, 2], X(42), 5, X(3), 'x', 'y', 'z']
+index of X(42) is: 7
+index of 'l' is: 2
+after inserting 666:
+['h', 'e', 'l', 'l', 666, 'o', '.', [1, 2], X(42), 5, X(3), 'x', 'y', 'z']
+inserting with object as index:
+['h', 'e', 'l', 'l', 666, '---', 'o', '.', [1, 2], X(42), 5, X(3), 'x', 'y', 'z']
+popping...
+['h', 'e', 'l', 'l', 666, '---', 'o', '.', [1, 2], X(42), 5, X(3), 'x', 'y']
+['h', 'e', 'l', 'l', 666, 'o', '.', [1, 2], X(42), 5, X(3), 'x', 'y']
+['h', 'e', 'l', 'l', 666, 'o', '.', [1, 2], X(42), X(3), 'x', 'y']
+removing X(42)
+['h', 'e', 'l', 'l', 666, 'o', '.', [1, 2], X(3), 'x', 'y']
+removing 666
+['h', 'e', 'l', 'l', 'o', '.', [1, 2], X(3), 'x', 'y']
+reversing...
+['y', 'x', X(3), [1, 2], '.', 'o', 'l', 'l', 'e', 'h']
+sorted:
+[[1, 2], '.', 'e', 'h', 'l', 'l', 'o', 'x', 'y']
+reverse sorted:
+['y', 'x', 'o', 'l', 'l', 'h', 'e', '.', [1, 2]]
+'''
+
+def run(args = None):
+    import sys
+    import doctest
+
+    if args is not None:
+        sys.argv = args
+    return doctest.testmod(sys.modules.get(__name__))
+    
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    print "running..."
+    import sys
+    sys.exit(run()[0])
diff --git a/test/string_literal.cpp b/test/string_literal.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5c1a1e61
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/string_literal.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+//#include <stdio.h>
+#include <cassert>
+#include <boost/static_assert.hpp>
+#include <boost/python/detail/string_literal.hpp>
+
+int main()
+{
+    using namespace boost::python::detail;
+    
+    BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(!is_string_literal<int*&>::value);
+    BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(!is_string_literal<int* const&>::value);
+    BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(!is_string_literal<int*volatile&>::value);
+    BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(!is_string_literal<int*const volatile&>::value);
+    
+    BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(!is_string_literal<char const*>::value);
+    BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(!is_string_literal<char*>::value);
+    BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(!is_string_literal<char*&>::value);
+    BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(!is_string_literal<char* const&>::value);
+    BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(!is_string_literal<char*volatile&>::value);
+    BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(!is_string_literal<char*const volatile&>::value);
+    
+    BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(!is_string_literal<char[20]>::value);
+    BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(is_string_literal<char const[20]>::value);
+    BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(is_string_literal<char const[3]>::value);
+
+    BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(!is_string_literal<int[20]>::value);
+    BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(!is_string_literal<int const[20]>::value);
+    BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(!is_string_literal<int const[3]>::value);
+    return 0;
+}