diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 06b67ba..82e9717 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -2,8 +2,11 @@
 
 This is an experimental pure Java implementation of Cap'n Proto.
 
-It doesn't do much yet.
+To get started, try this:
 
 ```
-make
+$ make
+$ cd examples
+$ echo '(people = [(id = 123, name = "Alice", email = "alice@example.com", employment = (school = "MIT"))])' \
+  | capnp encode addressbook.capnp AddressBook | java -cp .:.. AddressbookMain read
 ```
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