diff --git a/tablib/__init__.py b/tablib/__init__.py
index ec8467e..65d1e13 100644
--- a/tablib/__init__.py
+++ b/tablib/__init__.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 """ Tablib. """
 
 from tablib.core import (
-    Databook, Dataset, detect, import_set,
+    Databook, Dataset, detect, import_set, import_book,
     InvalidDatasetType, InvalidDimensions, UnsupportedFormat,
     __version__
 )
diff --git a/tablib/core.py b/tablib/core.py
index c52671e..1fdc77c 100644
--- a/tablib/core.py
+++ b/tablib/core.py
@@ -1008,6 +1008,19 @@ def import_set(stream):
         return None
 
 
+def import_book(stream):
+    """Return dataset of given stream."""
+    (format, stream) = detect(stream)
+
+    try:
+        databook = Databook()
+        format.import_book(databook, stream)
+        return databook
+
+    except AttributeError:
+        return None
+
+
 class InvalidDatasetType(Exception):
     "Only Datasets can be added to a DataBook"
 
diff --git a/tablib/formats/_xls.py b/tablib/formats/_xls.py
index 6530d91..ebec9e1 100644
--- a/tablib/formats/_xls.py
+++ b/tablib/formats/_xls.py
@@ -66,6 +66,26 @@ def export_book(databook):
     return stream.getvalue()
 
 
+def import_book(dbook, in_stream, headers=True):
+    """Returns databook from XLS stream."""
+
+    dbook.wipe()
+
+    xls_book = xlrd.open_workbook(file_contents=in_stream)
+
+    for sheet in xls_book.sheets():
+        data = tablib.Dataset()
+        data.title = sheet.name
+
+        for i in xrange(sheet.nrows):
+            if (i == 0) and (headers):
+                data.headers = sheet.row_values(0)
+            else:
+                data.append(sheet.row_values(i))
+
+        dbook.add_sheet(data)
+
+
 def dset_sheet(dataset, ws):
     """Completes given worksheet from given Dataset."""
     _package = dataset._package(dicts=False)