diff --git a/src/main/scala/net/ceedubs/ficus/readers/EitherReader.scala b/src/main/scala/net/ceedubs/ficus/readers/EitherReader.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..82b3e27
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/scala/net/ceedubs/ficus/readers/EitherReader.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+package net.ceedubs.ficus.readers
+import com.typesafe.config.{Config, ConfigException}
+
+trait EitherReader {
+  implicit def eitherReader[L,R]( implicit lReader : ValueReader[L], rReader : ValueReader[R]) : ValueReader[Either[L,R]] =
+    new ValueReader[Either[L,R]]{
+      /** Reads the value at the path `path` in the Config */
+      override def read(config: Config, path: String): Either[L, R] = {
+        TryReader.tryValueReader(rReader).read( config, path )
+        .map( Right(_) )
+        .recover{
+          case _ : ConfigException => Left( lReader.read(config, path))
+        }
+        .get
+      }
+    }
+}
+
+object EitherReader extends EitherReader
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/test/scala/net/ceedubs/ficus/ConfigSerializer.scala b/src/test/scala/net/ceedubs/ficus/ConfigSerializer.scala
index 8b41b5b..d8a3d38 100644
--- a/src/test/scala/net/ceedubs/ficus/ConfigSerializer.scala
+++ b/src/test/scala/net/ceedubs/ficus/ConfigSerializer.scala
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package net.ceedubs.ficus
 
-import com.typesafe.config.ConfigUtil
+import com.typesafe.config.{ConfigFactory, ConfigUtil, ConfigValue}
+
 import scala.language.implicitConversions
 
 trait ConfigSerializer[A] {
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ object ConfigSerializer {
 
 final case class ConfigSerializerOps[A](a: A, serializer: ConfigSerializer[A]) {
   def asConfigValue: String = serializer.serialize(a)
+  def toConfigValue : ConfigValue = ConfigFactory.parseString( s"dummy=$asConfigValue").root().get("dummy")
 }
 
 object ConfigSerializerOps {
diff --git a/src/test/scala/net/ceedubs/ficus/readers/EitherReadersSpec.scala b/src/test/scala/net/ceedubs/ficus/readers/EitherReadersSpec.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8f91ec9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/scala/net/ceedubs/ficus/readers/EitherReadersSpec.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+package net.ceedubs.ficus.readers
+
+import com.typesafe.config.ConfigFactory
+import net.ceedubs.ficus.{ConfigSerializer, Spec}
+import net.ceedubs.ficus.ConfigSerializerOps._
+import org.scalacheck.Arbitrary
+
+import scala.util.{Failure, Try}
+import scala.collection.JavaConverters._
+
+class EitherReadersSpec extends Spec with EitherReader with OptionReader with AnyValReaders with StringReader with TryReader with CollectionReaders{
+  def is=s2"""
+    An Either value reader should
+    should read right side when possible $readRightSideString
+    fallback to left side when key is missing $fallbackToLeftSideOnMissingKey
+    fallback to left when failing to read right $fallbackToLeftSideOnBadRightValue
+    fail when both sides fail $rightAndLeftFailure
+    handle a Try on the right side $rightSideTry
+    handle a Try on the left side $leftSideTry
+    handle complex types $handleComplexTypes
+    """
+
+
+  def readRightSideString = prop{ a : String =>
+    val cfg = a.toConfigValue.atKey("x")
+    eitherReader[String,String].read(cfg, "x") must beEqualTo(Right(a))
+  }
+
+  def fallbackToLeftSideOnMissingKey = prop{ a : String =>
+    eitherReader[Option[String], String].read( ConfigFactory.empty(), "x" ) must beEqualTo( Left(None) )
+  }
+
+  def fallbackToLeftSideOnBadRightValue = prop{ a : Int =>
+    val badVal = a.toString + "xx"
+    eitherReader[String, Int].read( badVal.toConfigValue.atKey("x"), "x" ) must beEqualTo( Left(badVal) )
+  }
+
+  def rightAndLeftFailure = prop{ a : Int =>
+    val badVal = a.toString + "xx"
+    tryValueReader(eitherReader[Int, Int]).read( badVal.toConfigValue.atKey("x"), "x" ) must beAnInstanceOf[Failure[Int]]
+  }
+
+  def rightSideTry = prop{ a : Int =>
+    val badVal = a.toString + "xx"
+    eitherReader[Int, Try[Int]].read( a.toConfigValue.atKey("x"), "x" ) must beRight( a )
+    eitherReader[Int, Try[Int]].read( badVal.toConfigValue.atKey("x"), "x" ) must beRight( beFailedTry[Int] )
+  }
+
+  def leftSideTry = prop{ a : Int =>
+    val badVal = a.toString + "xx"
+    eitherReader[Try[String], Int].read( badVal.toConfigValue.atKey("x"), "x" ) must beLeft( beSuccessfulTry( badVal) )
+    eitherReader[Try[Int], Int].read( badVal.toConfigValue.atKey("x"), "x" ) must beLeft( beFailedTry[Int] )
+  }
+
+  def handleComplexTypes = prop{ (a : Int, b : Int ) =>
+    val iMap = Map( "a" -> a, "b" -> b )
+    val sMap = Map( "a" -> s"${a}xx", "b" -> s"${b}xx")
+
+    eitherReader[Map[String,String], Map[String,String]].read( sMap.toConfigValue.atKey("a"), "a" ) must beRight(sMap)
+    eitherReader[Map[String,String], Map[String,Int]].read( iMap.toConfigValue.atKey("a"), "a" ) must beRight(iMap)
+    eitherReader[Map[String,String], Map[String,Int]].read( sMap.toConfigValue.atKey("a"), "a" ) must beLeft(sMap)
+  }
+}