diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c8d3f49..021717f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -131,7 +131,22 @@ JsonValue name = Json.value("Alice");
 JsonValue points = Json.value(23);
 ```
 
-And there are methods for creating empty arrays and objects as well.
+There is also a variant of `value()` to create JSON values directly form any Java object:
+
+```java
+Set<Object> javaValues = new HashSet<Object>();
+javaValues.add("me");
+javaValues.add(3.141);
+javaValues.add(new Date());
+JsonValue jsonValues = Json.value(javaValues);
+```
+
+If you want to control the serialization of your own objects, implement the
+`JsonSerializable` interface, which is respected by the `value()` method. 
+Any other object, which cannot be directly mapped to a JSON value is converted to a string using the
+`toString()`method of the object. Circular references are not resolved.
+
+There are methods for creating empty arrays and objects as well.
 Use these together with `add` to create data structures:
 
 ```java
@@ -146,7 +161,7 @@ You can also create JSON arrays conveniently from Java arrays such as `String[]`
 
 ```java
 String[] javaNames = {"Alice", "Bob"};
-JsonArray jsonNames = Json.array(names);
+JsonArray jsonNames = Json.array(javaNames);
 ```
 
 ### Modify JSON arrays and objects
diff --git a/com.eclipsesource.json/src/main/java/com/eclipsesource/json/Json.java b/com.eclipsesource.json/src/main/java/com/eclipsesource/json/Json.java
index 7bbc660..e316b0e 100644
--- a/com.eclipsesource.json/src/main/java/com/eclipsesource/json/Json.java
+++ b/com.eclipsesource.json/src/main/java/com/eclipsesource/json/Json.java
@@ -50,6 +50,14 @@
  * String[] names = ...
  * JsonArray array = Json.array(names);
  * </pre>
+ * <p>
+ * To create a JSON array from any given Java object, you can use the <code>value(object)</code>
+ * method:
+ * </p>
+ * <pre>
+ * Object object = ...
+ * JsonValue json = Json.value(object);
+ * </pre>
  */
 public final class Json {
 
@@ -144,6 +152,21 @@ public static JsonValue value(boolean value) {
     return value ? TRUE : FALSE;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Returns a JsonValue instance that represents the given object. If the object implements
+   * {@link JsonSerializable}, its {@link JsonSerializable#asJsonValue()} method is called and the
+   * result returned.
+   * <p>
+   * Converts null values to null literals and non-trivial objects to their string representation.
+   *
+   * @param object
+   *          the object to get a JSON representation for
+   * @return a JSON value that represents the given object
+   */
+  public static JsonValue value(Object object) {
+    return JsonBuilder.toJsonValue(object);
+  }
+
   /**
    * Creates a new empty JsonArray. This is equivalent to creating a new JsonArray using the
    * constructor.
diff --git a/com.eclipsesource.json/src/main/java/com/eclipsesource/json/JsonBuilder.java b/com.eclipsesource.json/src/main/java/com/eclipsesource/json/JsonBuilder.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cbe2362
--- /dev/null
+++ b/com.eclipsesource.json/src/main/java/com/eclipsesource/json/JsonBuilder.java
@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+/*******************************************************************************
+ * Copyright (c) 2013, 2015 EclipseSource.
+ *
+ * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+ * of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+ * in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+ * to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+ * copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+ * furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+ *
+ * The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
+ * copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+ *
+ * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+ * IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+ * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+ * AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+ * LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+ * OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
+ * SOFTWARE.
+ ******************************************************************************/
+
+package com.eclipsesource.json;
+
+import java.lang.reflect.Array;
+
+import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Map.Entry;
+
+
+/**
+ * A simple builder which allows to create a JsonValue from a java object. <b> As this is part of
+ * the minimal-json library, it is a minimal converter, and therefore does <b>not</b> resolve cyclic
+ * structures.
+ *
+ * @author Pascal Bihler
+ */
+public class JsonBuilder {
+  /**
+   * Creates a JsonValue from a Java object. If the object implements {@link JsonSerializable}, its
+   * {@link JsonSerializable#asJsonValue()} method is called and the result returned.
+   * <p>
+   * Converts null values to null literals and non-trivial objects to their string representation.
+   *
+   * @param object
+   *          The object to convert to json
+   * @return The Java object as {@link JsonValue}
+   */
+  public static JsonValue toJsonValue(final Object object) {
+    if (object == null) {
+      return Json.NULL;
+    } else if (object instanceof JsonValue) {
+      return (JsonValue) object;
+    } else if (object instanceof JsonSerializable) {
+      return ((JsonSerializable)object).asJsonValue();
+    } else if (object instanceof Boolean) {
+      return Json.value(((Boolean)object).booleanValue());
+    } else if (object instanceof Byte) {
+      return Json.value(((Byte)object).byteValue());
+    } else if (object instanceof Short) {
+      return Json.value(((Short)object).shortValue());
+    } else if (object instanceof Integer) {
+      return Json.value(((Integer)object).intValue());
+    } else if (object instanceof Long) {
+      return Json.value(((Long)object).longValue());
+    } else if (object instanceof Float) {
+      return Json.value(((Float)object).floatValue());
+    } else if (object instanceof Double) {
+      return Json.value(((Double)object).doubleValue());
+    } else if (object.getClass().isArray()) {
+      return arrayToJsonValue(object);
+    } else if (object instanceof Iterable) {
+      return iterableToJsonValue((Iterable<?>)object);
+    } else if (object instanceof Map) {
+      return mapToJsonValue((Map<?, ?>)object);
+    } else {
+      return Json.value(String.valueOf(object));
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Creates a JsonArray from a collection object.
+   */
+  static JsonArray iterableToJsonValue(final Iterable<?> collection) {
+    final JsonArray array = new JsonArray();
+    for (final Object element : collection) {
+      array.add(toJsonValue(element));
+    }
+    return array;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Creates a JsonObject from a Java Map
+   */
+  static JsonObject mapToJsonValue(final Map<?, ?> map) {
+    final JsonObject object = new JsonObject();
+    for (final Entry<?, ?> entry : map.entrySet()) {
+      object.add(String.valueOf(entry.getKey()), toJsonValue(entry.getValue()));
+    }
+    return object;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Creates a JsonArray from an array.
+   */
+  static JsonValue arrayToJsonValue(final Object inputArray) {
+    final JsonArray array = new JsonArray();
+    final int arrayLength = Array.getLength(inputArray);
+    for (int i = 0; i < arrayLength; i++) {
+      final Object element = Array.get(inputArray, i);
+      array.add(toJsonValue(element));
+    }
+    return array;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/com.eclipsesource.json/src/main/java/com/eclipsesource/json/JsonSerializable.java b/com.eclipsesource.json/src/main/java/com/eclipsesource/json/JsonSerializable.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0be52e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/com.eclipsesource.json/src/main/java/com/eclipsesource/json/JsonSerializable.java
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+/*******************************************************************************
+ * Copyright (c) 2017 EclipseSource.
+ *
+ * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+ * of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+ * in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+ * to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+ * copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+ * furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+ *
+ * The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
+ * copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+ *
+ * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+ * IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+ * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+ * AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+ * LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+ * OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
+ * SOFTWARE.
+ ******************************************************************************/
+package com.eclipsesource.json;
+
+/**
+ * Objects, which implement this interface, can be directly serialized as {@link JsonValue}.
+ */
+public interface JsonSerializable {
+
+  /**
+   * Serializes the object into a {@link JsonValue}
+   *
+   * @return The object as json representation
+   */
+  public JsonValue asJsonValue();
+}
diff --git a/com.eclipsesource.json/src/test/java/com/eclipsesource/json/JsonBuilder_Test.java b/com.eclipsesource.json/src/test/java/com/eclipsesource/json/JsonBuilder_Test.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..baf87ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/com.eclipsesource.json/src/test/java/com/eclipsesource/json/JsonBuilder_Test.java
@@ -0,0 +1,267 @@
+package com.eclipsesource.json;
+
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertSame;
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.HashMap;
+import java.util.LinkedHashMap;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Set;
+import java.util.TreeSet;
+
+import org.junit.Test;
+
+
+@SuppressWarnings("boxing")
+public class JsonBuilder_Test {
+  @Test
+  public void convertsNull() {
+    JsonValue value = JsonBuilder.toJsonValue((String)null);
+    assertEquals("null", value.toString());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void convertsBooleanTrue() {
+    JsonValue value = JsonBuilder.toJsonValue(true);
+    assertEquals("true", value.toString());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void convertsBooleanFalse() {
+    JsonValue value = JsonBuilder.toJsonValue(false);
+    assertEquals("false", value.toString());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void convertsZeroInt() {
+    JsonValue value = JsonBuilder.toJsonValue(0);
+    assertEquals("0", value.toString());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void convertsPositiveInt() {
+    JsonValue value = JsonBuilder.toJsonValue(44);
+    assertEquals("44", value.toString());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void convertsNegativeInt() {
+    JsonValue value = JsonBuilder.toJsonValue(-10);
+    assertEquals("-10", value.toString());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void convertsByte() {
+    JsonValue value = JsonBuilder.toJsonValue((byte)12);
+    assertEquals("12", value.toString());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void convertsShort() {
+    JsonValue value = JsonBuilder.toJsonValue((short)23);
+    assertEquals("23", value.toString());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void convertsLong() {
+    JsonValue value = JsonBuilder.toJsonValue(12340L);
+    assertEquals("12340", value.toString());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void convertsFloat() {
+    JsonValue value = JsonBuilder.toJsonValue(3.141f);
+    assertEquals("3.141", value.toString());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void convertsDouble() {
+    JsonValue value = JsonBuilder.toJsonValue(1e5d);
+    assertEquals("100000", value.toString());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void convertsChar() {
+    JsonValue value = JsonBuilder.toJsonValue('%');
+    assertEquals("\"%\"", value.toString());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void convertsCharArray() {
+    final char[] charArray = "bla".toCharArray();
+    JsonValue value = JsonBuilder.toJsonValue(charArray);
+
+    JsonArray expected = Json.array("b","l","a");
+    assertEquals(expected, value);
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void convertsString() {
+    JsonValue value = JsonBuilder.toJsonValue("blubber\"Schnitzel\nmit\nPommes\"");
+    assertEquals("\"blubber\\\"Schnitzel\\nmit\\nPommes\\\"\"", value.toString());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void convertsArbitraryObjectToString() {
+    JsonValue value = JsonBuilder.toJsonValue(new Object() {
+      @Override
+      public String toString() {
+        return "toString";
+      }
+    });
+    assertEquals("\"toString\"", value.toString());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void passesJsonValuesTrough() {
+    final JsonValue expected = Json.value(123);
+    JsonValue value = JsonBuilder.toJsonValue(expected);
+    assertSame(expected, value);
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void callsAsJsonValueOfAJsonSerializeableObject() {
+    final JsonValue expected = Json.value(123);
+    JsonValue value = JsonBuilder.toJsonValue(new JsonSerializable() {
+
+      public JsonValue asJsonValue() {
+        return expected;
+      }
+    });
+    assertSame(expected, value);
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void convertsList() {
+    List<Object> list = new ArrayList<Object>();
+    list.add("banane");
+    list.add(3.141);
+    list.add(false);
+
+    JsonValue value = JsonBuilder.toJsonValue(list);
+    assertEquals("[\"banane\",3.141,false]", value.toString());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void convertsListWithNullEntries() {
+    List<Object> list = new ArrayList<Object>();
+    list.add("banane");
+    list.add(null);
+    list.add(null);
+
+    JsonValue value = JsonBuilder.toJsonValue(list);
+    assertEquals("[\"banane\",null,null]", value.toString());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void convertsNullList() {
+    List<Object> list = null;
+    JsonValue value = JsonBuilder.toJsonValue(list);
+    assertEquals("null", value.toString());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void convertsEmptyList() {
+    List<Object> list = new ArrayList<Object>();
+    JsonValue value = JsonBuilder.toJsonValue(list);
+    assertEquals("[]", value.toString());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void convertsSet() {
+    Set<Object> set = new TreeSet<Object>();
+    set.add("banane");
+    set.add("23");
+    set.add("banane");
+
+    JsonValue value = JsonBuilder.toJsonValue(set);
+    assertEquals("[\"23\",\"banane\"]", value.toString());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void convertsNullSet() {
+    Set<Object> set = null;
+    JsonValue value = JsonBuilder.toJsonValue(set);
+    assertEquals("null", value.toString());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void convertsMap() {
+    Map<Object, Object> map = new LinkedHashMap<Object, Object>();
+    map.put("PI", 3.141);
+    map.put(true, "wahr");
+    map.put("bla", "blubb");
+    JsonValue value = JsonBuilder.toJsonValue(map);
+    assertEquals("{\"PI\":3.141,\"true\":\"wahr\",\"bla\":\"blubb\"}", value.toString());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void convertsNullMap() {
+    Map<Object, Object> map = null;
+    JsonValue value = JsonBuilder.toJsonValue(map);
+    assertEquals("null", value.toString());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void convertsEmptyMap() {
+    Map<Object, Object> map = new HashMap<Object, Object>();
+    JsonValue value = JsonBuilder.toJsonValue(map);
+    assertEquals("{}", value.toString());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void convertsMapSetCombination() {
+    final Map<String, Set<String>> map = new LinkedHashMap<String, Set<String>>();
+    final Set<String> set = new TreeSet<String>();
+    set.add("A");
+    set.add("B");
+    set.add("C");
+    map.put("ALL_TAGS", set);
+    map.put("NO_TAG", null);
+
+    JsonValue value = JsonBuilder.toJsonValue(map);
+    assertEquals("{\"ALL_TAGS\":[\"A\",\"B\",\"C\"],\"NO_TAG\":null}", value.toString());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void convertsArrayOfStrings() {
+    String[] array = new String[] {"A", "B", "C"};
+
+    JsonValue value = JsonBuilder.toJsonValue(array);
+    assertEquals("[\"A\",\"B\",\"C\"]", value.toString());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void convertsArrayOfObjects() {
+    Object[] array = new Object[] {1, "B", 'c'};
+
+    JsonValue value = JsonBuilder.toJsonValue(array);
+    assertEquals("[1,\"B\",\"c\"]", value.toString());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void convertsMultiDimensionalArray() {
+    Object[][] array = new Object[][] {new Object[] {1, 2, 3}, new Object[] {}};
+
+    JsonValue value = JsonBuilder.toJsonValue(array);
+    assertEquals("[[1,2,3],[]]", value.toString());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void convertsNullArray() {
+    Object[] array = null;
+
+    JsonValue value = JsonBuilder.toJsonValue(array);
+    assertEquals("null", value.toString());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void convertsEmptyArray() {
+    Object[] array = new Object[] {};
+
+    JsonValue value = JsonBuilder.toJsonValue(array);
+    assertEquals("[]", value.toString());
+  }
+}
diff --git a/com.eclipsesource.json/src/test/java/com/eclipsesource/json/Json_Test.java b/com.eclipsesource.json/src/test/java/com/eclipsesource/json/Json_Test.java
index 26e3663..2874864 100644
--- a/com.eclipsesource.json/src/test/java/com/eclipsesource/json/Json_Test.java
+++ b/com.eclipsesource.json/src/test/java/com/eclipsesource/json/Json_Test.java
@@ -22,16 +22,23 @@
 package com.eclipsesource.json;
 
 import static com.eclipsesource.json.TestUtil.assertException;
-import static org.junit.Assert.*;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertSame;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.io.Reader;
 import java.io.StringReader;
 
-import org.junit.Test;
+import java.util.LinkedHashMap;
+import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Set;
+import java.util.TreeSet;
 
 import com.eclipsesource.json.TestUtil.RunnableEx;
 
+import org.junit.Test;
+
 
 public class Json_Test {
 
@@ -146,6 +153,21 @@ public void value_string_toleratesNull() {
     assertSame(Json.NULL, Json.value(null));
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void value_complexObject_callsJsonBuilder() throws Exception
+  {
+      final Map<String, Set<String>> map = new LinkedHashMap<String, Set<String>>();
+      final Set<String> set = new TreeSet<String>();
+      set.add("A");
+      set.add("B");
+      set.add("C");
+      map.put("ALL_TAGS", set);
+      map.put("NO_TAG", null);
+
+      JsonValue value = Json.value(map);
+      assertEquals("{\"ALL_TAGS\":[\"A\",\"B\",\"C\"],\"NO_TAG\":null}", value.toString());
+  }
+
   @Test
   public void array() {
     assertEquals(new JsonArray(), Json.array());