diff --git a/examples/fullscreen/main.go b/examples/fullscreen/main.go
index df04efa..aa4e392 100644
--- a/examples/fullscreen/main.go
+++ b/examples/fullscreen/main.go
@@ -22,14 +22,14 @@ func main() {
 	}
 }
 
-func update(msg tea.Msg, mdl tea.Model) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
+func update(message tea.Msg, mdl tea.Model) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 	m, _ := mdl.(model)
 
-	switch message := msg.(type) {
+	switch msg := message.(type) {
 
-	case tea.KeyPressMsg:
-		switch message {
-		case "ctrl+c":
+	case tea.KeyMsg:
+		switch msg.String() {
+		case "break":
 			fallthrough
 		case "esc":
 			fallthrough
diff --git a/examples/views/main.go b/examples/views/main.go
index d42ba88..2df8eef 100644
--- a/examples/views/main.go
+++ b/examples/views/main.go
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 package main
 
+// TODO: This code feels messy. Clean it up.
+
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"math"
@@ -62,8 +64,8 @@ func update(msg tea.Msg, model tea.Model) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 func updateChoices(msg tea.Msg, m Model) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 	switch msg := msg.(type) {
 
-	case tea.KeyPressMsg:
-		switch msg {
+	case tea.KeyMsg:
+		switch msg.String() {
 		case "j":
 			fallthrough
 		case "down":
@@ -85,7 +87,7 @@ func updateChoices(msg tea.Msg, m Model) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 			fallthrough
 		case "esc":
 			fallthrough
-		case "ctrl+c":
+		case "break":
 			return m, tea.Quit
 		}
 
@@ -102,13 +104,13 @@ func updateChoices(msg tea.Msg, m Model) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 func updateChosen(msg tea.Msg, m Model) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 	switch msg := msg.(type) {
 
-	case tea.KeyPressMsg:
-		switch msg {
+	case tea.KeyMsg:
+		switch msg.String() {
 		case "q":
 			fallthrough
 		case "esc":
 			fallthrough
-		case "ctrl+c":
+		case "break":
 			return m, tea.Quit
 		}
 
diff --git a/key.go b/key.go
index 98ce18f..fa231ac 100644
--- a/key.go
+++ b/key.go
@@ -7,61 +7,126 @@ import (
 )
 
 // KeyPressMsg contains information about a keypress
-type KeyPressMsg string
+type KeyMsg Key
 
-// Control keys
-const (
-	keyETX = 3  // break, ctrl+c
-	keyLF  = 9  // line-feed, \n
-	keyCR  = 13 // carriage return, \r
-	keyESC = 27
-	keyUS  = 31 // unit separator
-)
-
-var controlNames = map[int]string{
-	keyETX: "ctrl+c",
-	keyLF:  "enter",
-	keyCR:  "enter",
-	keyESC: "esc",
-	keyUS:  "us",
+// String returns a friendly name for a key
+func (k *KeyMsg) String() string {
+	if k.Type == KeyRune {
+		return string(k.Rune)
+	} else if s, ok := keyNames[k.Type]; ok {
+		return s
+	}
+	return ""
 }
 
-var sequenceNames = map[string]string{
-	"\x1b[A": "up",
-	"\x1b[B": "down",
-	"\x1b[C": "right",
-	"\x1b[D": "left",
+// IsRune returns weather or not the key is a rune
+func (k *KeyMsg) IsRune() bool {
+	if k.Type == KeyRune {
+		return true
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+type Key struct {
+	Type KeyType
+	Rune rune
+}
+
+// KeyType indicates the key pressed
+type KeyType int
+
+// Possible keys
+const (
+	KeyBreak KeyType = iota
+	KeyEnter
+	KeyEscape
+	KeyUp
+	KeyDown
+	KeyRight
+	KeyLeft
+	KeyUnitSeparator
+	KeyBackspace
+	KeyRune
+)
+
+// Friendly key names
+var keyNames = map[KeyType]string{
+	KeyBreak:         "break",
+	KeyEnter:         "enter",
+	KeyEscape:        "esc",
+	KeyUp:            "up",
+	KeyDown:          "down",
+	KeyRight:         "right",
+	KeyLeft:          "left",
+	KeyUnitSeparator: "us",
+	KeyBackspace:     "backspace",
+	KeyRune:          "rune",
+}
+
+// Control keys. I know we could do this with an iota, but the values are very
+// specific, so we set the values explicitly to avoid any confusion
+const (
+	keyETX = 3   // break, ctrl+c
+	keyLF  = 9   // line-feed, \n
+	keyCR  = 13  // carriage return, \r
+	keyESC = 27  // escape
+	keyUS  = 31  // unit separator
+	keyDEL = 127 // delete. on most systems this is mapped to backspace, I hear
+)
+
+// Mapping for control keys to friendly consts
+var controlKeys = map[int]KeyType{
+	keyETX: KeyBreak,
+	keyLF:  KeyEnter,
+	keyCR:  KeyEnter,
+	keyESC: KeyEscape,
+	keyUS:  KeyUnitSeparator,
+	keyDEL: KeyBackspace,
+}
+
+// Mapping for sequences to consts
+var sequences = map[string]KeyType{
+	"\x1b[A": KeyUp,
+	"\x1b[B": KeyDown,
+	"\x1b[C": KeyRight,
+	"\x1b[D": KeyLeft,
 }
 
 // ReadKey reads keypress input from a TTY and returns a string representation
 // of a key
-func ReadKey(r io.Reader) (string, error) {
+func ReadKey(r io.Reader) (Key, error) {
 	var buf [256]byte
 
 	// Read and block
 	n, err := r.Read(buf[:])
 	if err != nil {
-		return "", err
+		return Key{}, err
 	}
 
 	// Get rune
 	c, _ := utf8.DecodeRune(buf[:])
 	if c == utf8.RuneError {
-		return "", errors.New("no such rune")
+		return Key{}, errors.New("no such rune")
 	}
 
 	// Is it a control character?
+	if n == 1 && c <= keyUS || c == keyDEL {
+		if k, ok := controlKeys[n]; ok {
+			return Key{Type: k}, nil
+		}
+	}
+
 	if n == 1 && c <= keyUS {
-		if s, ok := controlNames[int(c)]; ok {
-			return s, nil
+		if k, ok := controlKeys[int(c)]; ok {
+			return Key{Type: k}, nil
 		}
 	}
 
 	// Is it a special sequence, like an arrow key?
-	if s, ok := sequenceNames[string(buf[:n])]; ok {
-		return s, nil
+	if k, ok := sequences[string(buf[:n])]; ok {
+		return Key{Type: k}, nil
 	}
 
 	// Nope, just a regular, ol' rune
-	return string(c), nil
+	return Key{Type: KeyRune, Rune: c}, nil
 }
diff --git a/tea.go b/tea.go
index 53fc49e..a31acff 100644
--- a/tea.go
+++ b/tea.go
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ func (p *Program) Start() error {
 	go func() {
 		for {
 			msg, _ := ReadKey(p.rw)
-			msgs <- KeyPressMsg(msg)
+			msgs <- KeyMsg(msg)
 		}
 	}()