diff --git a/tldp/config.py b/tldp/config.py
index 972b71a..cb6ed80 100644
--- a/tldp/config.py
+++ b/tldp/config.py
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ class DirectoriesExist(argparse._AppendAction):
 
     def __call__(self, parser, namespace, values, option_string=None):
         if not os.path.isdir(values):
-            message = "No such directory: %r for option %r, removing..."
+            message = "No such directory: %r for option %r, aborting..."
             message = message % (values, option_string)
             logger.critical(message)
             raise ValueError(message)
@@ -37,76 +37,116 @@ class DirectoryExists(argparse._StoreAction):
 
     def __call__(self, parser, namespace, values, option_string=None):
         if not os.path.isdir(values):
-            message = "No such directory: %r for option %r, removing..."
+            message = "No such directory: %r for option %r, aborting..."
             message = message % (values, option_string)
             logger.critical(message)
             raise ValueError(message)
         setattr(namespace, self.dest, values)
 
 
+class StoreTrueOrNargBool(argparse._StoreAction):
+
+    _boolean_states = {'1': True, 'yes': True, 'true': True, 'on': True,
+                       '0': False, 'no': False, 'false': False, 'off': False}
+
+    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        super(argparse._StoreAction, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+
+    def __call__(self, parser, namespace, values, option_string=None):
+        if values is None:
+            setattr(namespace, self.dest, True)
+        else:
+            boolval = self._boolean_states.get(values.lower(), None)
+            if boolval is None:
+                message = "Non-boolean value: %r for option %r, aborting..."
+                message = message % (values, option_string)
+                logger.critical(message)
+                raise ValueError(message)
+            else:
+                setattr(namespace, self.dest, boolval)
+
+
 def collectconfiguration(tag, argv):
+    '''main specification of command-line (and config file) shape'''
+
     ap = DefaultFreeArgumentParser()
-
-    g = ap.add_mutually_exclusive_group()
-    g.add_argument('--build',
-                   '-b',
-                   action='store_true', default=False,
-                   help='build LDP documentation [%(default)s]')
-    g.add_argument('--publish',
-                   '-p',
-                   action='store_true', default=False,
-                   help='build and publish LDP documentation [%(default)s]')
-    g.add_argument('--script',
-                   '-S',
-                   action='store_true', default=False,
-                   help='dump runnable script [%(default)s]')
-    g.add_argument('--detail', '--list',
-                   '-l',
-                   action='store_true', default=False,
-                   help='list elements of LDP system [%(default)s]')
-    g.add_argument('--summary',
-                   '-t',
-                   action='store_true', default=False,
-                   help='dump inventory summary report [%(default)s]')
-    g.add_argument('--doctypes', '--formats', '--format',
-                   '--list-doctypes', '--list-formats',
-                   '-T',
-                   action='store_true', default=False,
-                   help='show supported doctypes [%(default)s]')
-    g.add_argument('--statustypes', '--list-statustypes',
-                   action='store_true', default=False,
-                   help='show status types and classes [%(default)s]')
-
-    ap.add_argument('--verbose',
-                    action='store_true', default=False,
-                    help='more info in --list/--detail [%(default)s]')
-    ap.add_argument('--loglevel',
-                    default=logging.ERROR, type=arg_isloglevel,
-                    help='set the loglevel')
-    ap.add_argument('--skip',
-                    default=[], action='append', type=str,
-                    help='skip this stem during processing')
-    ap.add_argument('--resources',
-                    default=['images', 'resources'], action='append', type=str,
-                    help='subdirs to copy during build [%(default)s]')
     ap.add_argument('--sourcedir', '--source-dir', '--source-directory',
                     '-s',
                     default=[], action=DirectoriesExist,
                     help='a directory containing LDP source documents')
+
     ap.add_argument('--pubdir', '--output', '--outputdir', '--outdir',
                     '-o',
                     default=None, action=DirectoryExists,
                     help='a directory containing LDP output documents')
+
     ap.add_argument('--builddir', '--build-dir', '--build-directory',
                     '-d',
                     default=None, action=DirectoryExists,
                     help='a scratch directory used for building')
+
     ap.add_argument('--configfile', '--config-file', '--cfg',
                     '-c',
                     default=DEFAULT_CONFIGFILE,
                     type=arg_isreadablefile,
                     help='a configuration file')
 
+    ap.add_argument('--loglevel',
+                    default=logging.ERROR, type=arg_isloglevel,
+                    help='set the loglevel')
+
+    ap.add_argument('--verbose',
+                    action=StoreTrueOrNargBool, nargs='?', default=False,
+                    help='more info in --list/--detail [%(default)s]')
+
+    ap.add_argument('--skip',
+                    default=[], action='append', type=str,
+                    help='skip this stem during processing')
+
+    ap.add_argument('--resources',
+                    default=['images', 'resources'], action='append', type=str,
+                    help='subdirs to copy during build [%(default)s]')
+
+
+    # -- and the distinct, mutually exclusive actions this script can perform
+    #
+    g = ap.add_mutually_exclusive_group()
+    g.add_argument('--publish',
+                   '-p',
+                   action='store_true', default=False,
+                   help='build and publish LDP documentation [%(default)s]')
+
+    g.add_argument('--build',
+                   '-b',
+                   action='store_true', default=False,
+                   help='build LDP documentation [%(default)s]')
+
+    g.add_argument('--script',
+                   '-S',
+                   action='store_true', default=False,
+                   help='dump runnable script [%(default)s]')
+
+    g.add_argument('--detail', '--list',
+                   '-l',
+                   action='store_true', default=False,
+                   help='list elements of LDP system [%(default)s]')
+
+    g.add_argument('--summary',
+                   '-t',
+                   action='store_true', default=False,
+                   help='dump inventory summary report [%(default)s]')
+
+    g.add_argument('--doctypes', '--formats', '--format',
+                   '--list-doctypes', '--list-formats',
+                   '-T',
+                   action='store_true', default=False,
+                   help='show supported doctypes [%(default)s]')
+
+    g.add_argument('--statustypes', '--list-statustypes',
+                   action='store_true', default=False,
+                   help='show status types and classes [%(default)s]')
+
+
     # -- collect up the distributed configuration fragments
     #
     for cls in tldp.typeguesser.knowndoctypes: