diff --git a/examples/tables.cpp b/examples/tables.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..17c9e117
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/tables.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+#include <sol.hpp>
+#include <string>
+#include <iostream>
+
+/// this example shows how to read data in from a lua table
+using namespace std;
+
+//compiles on linux with: g++ -std=c++11 -I.. table.cpp -o tables -llua
+
+int main(int argc, char * argv[])
+{
+  sol::state lua;
+  //table used as an array
+  lua.script("table1 = {\"hello\", \"table\"}");
+  //table with a nested table and the key value syntax
+  lua.script("table2 = {[\"nestedTable\"]={[\"key1\"]=\"value1\", [\"key2\"]=\"value2\"},"
+    " [\"name\"]=\"table2\"}");
+  
+  
+  //using the values stored in table1
+  cout << lua.get<sol::table>("table1").get<string>(1)<< " " << 
+    lua.get<sol::table>("table1").get<string>(2) << endl;
+    
+  auto t2 = lua.get<sol::table>("table2");
+  auto nestedTable = t2.get<sol::table>("nestedTable");
+  //some retrival of values from the nested table
+  //the cleaner way of doing things
+  cout << "nested table: key1 : " << nestedTable.get<string>("key1") << ", key2: "
+    //yes you can chain the get<>() results 
+    << lua.get<sol::table>("table2").get<sol::table>("nestedTable").get<string>("key2") 
+    << endl;
+    
+  cout << "name of t2: " << t2.get<string>("name") << endl;
+   
+  return 0;
+}
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