diff --git a/read.ps1 b/read.ps1
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..37e5e3e9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/read.ps1
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+<#
+.SYNOPSIS
+    Convenience wrapper for reader3: process a book, (re)start the server, and open it.
+
+.EXAMPLE
+    .\read.ps1 dracula.epub      # process (if new), start server if needed, open the book
+.EXAMPLE
+    .\read.ps1                   # just open the library, starting the server if needed
+.EXAMPLE
+    .\read.ps1 -Stop             # stop the server
+#>
+param(
+    [string]$EpubPath,
+    [switch]$Stop
+)
+
+$ErrorActionPreference = "Stop"
+
+function Get-ServerPid {
+    $line = netstat -ano | Select-String "127.0.0.1:8123\s.*LISTENING"
+    if ($line) {
+        return ($line -split "\s+")[-1]
+    }
+    return $null
+}
+
+Push-Location $PSScriptRoot
+try {
+    $serverPid = Get-ServerPid
+
+    if ($Stop) {
+        if ($serverPid) {
+            Stop-Process -Id $serverPid -Force
+            Write-Host "Server stopped."
+        } else {
+            Write-Host "Server was not running."
+        }
+        return
+    }
+
+    $dataDir = $null
+    if ($EpubPath) {
+        if (-not (Test-Path $EpubPath)) {
+            Write-Error "File not found: $EpubPath"
+            return
+        }
+        $bookName = [System.IO.Path]::GetFileNameWithoutExtension($EpubPath)
+        $dataDir = "${bookName}_data"
+        if (-not (Test-Path $dataDir)) {
+            Write-Host "Processing $EpubPath..."
+            uv run reader3.py $EpubPath
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (-not $serverPid) {
+        Write-Host "Starting server..."
+        Start-Process -WindowStyle Hidden -FilePath "uv" -ArgumentList "run","server.py" -WorkingDirectory $PSScriptRoot
+        Start-Sleep -Seconds 2
+    }
+
+    if ($dataDir) {
+        Start-Process "http://localhost:8123/read/$dataDir"
+    } else {
+        Start-Process "http://localhost:8123/"
+    }
+}
+finally {
+    Pop-Location
+}
diff --git a/server.py b/server.py
index 9c870dc6..3a33e0e4 100644
--- a/server.py
+++ b/server.py
@@ -56,9 +56,9 @@ async def library_view(request: Request):
     return templates.TemplateResponse("library.html", {"request": request, "books": books})
 
 @app.get("/read/{book_id}", response_class=HTMLResponse)
-async def redirect_to_first_chapter(book_id: str):
+async def redirect_to_first_chapter(request: Request, book_id: str):
     """Helper to just go to chapter 0."""
-    return await read_chapter(book_id=book_id, chapter_index=0)
+    return await read_chapter(request=request, book_id=book_id, chapter_index=0)
 
 @app.get("/read/{book_id}/{chapter_index}", response_class=HTMLResponse)
 async def read_chapter(request: Request, book_id: str, chapter_index: int):