diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8a91c37..239668b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -14,3 +14,9 @@ If [available in Hex](https://hex.pm/docs/publish), the package can be installed
       [{:rox, "~> 0.1.0"}]
     end
     ```
+
+## Features
+
+  * String friendly wrapping around erlang char lists
+  * Auto encoding of non-binary types (tuples, maps, lists, etc) via
+      `:erlang.term_to_binary/1`. (Use `decode: true` on `get`)
diff --git a/lib/rox.ex b/lib/rox.ex
index 105a7d9..0099692 100644
--- a/lib/rox.ex
+++ b/lib/rox.ex
@@ -143,30 +143,48 @@ defmodule Rox do
     :erocksdb.open(to_charlist(path), sanitize_opts(db_opts), sanitize_opts(cf_opts))
   end
 
+  @doc """
+  Close the RocksDB with the specifed `db_handle`
+  """
+
+  @spec close(db_handle) :: :ok | {:error, any}
+  def close(db), do:
+    :erocksdb.close(db)
+
   @doc """
   Put a key/value pair into the default column family handle
   """
 
   @spec put(db_handle, key, value) :: :ok | {:error, any}
-  def put(db, key, value), do:
+  def put(db, key, value) when is_binary(value), do:
     :erocksdb.put(db, key, value, [])
 
+  def put(db, key, value), do:
+    :erocksdb.put(db, key, :erlang.term_to_binary(value), [])
+
   @doc """
   Put a key/value pair into the default column family handle with the provided
   write options
   """
 
   @spec put(db_handle, key, value, write_options) :: :ok | {:error, any}
-  def put(db, key, value, write_opts) when is_list(write_opts), do:
+  def put(db, key, value, write_opts) when is_list(write_opts) and is_binary(value), do:
     :erocksdb.put(db, key, value, write_opts)
 
+  def put(db, key, value, write_opts) when is_list(write_opts), do:
+    :erocksdb.put(db, key, :erlang.term_to_binary(value), write_opts)
+
   @doc """
   Put a key/value pair into the specified column family with optional `write_options`
   """
   @spec put(db_handle, cf_handle, key, value, write_options) :: :ok | {:error, any}
-  def put(db, cf, key, value, write_opts \\ []), do:
+  def put(db, cf, key, value, write_opts \\ [])
+  def put(db, cf, key, value, write_opts) when is_binary(value), do:
     :erocksdb.put(db, cf, key, value, write_opts)
 
+  def put(db, cf, key, value, write_opts), do:
+    :erocksdb.put(db, cf, key, :erlang.term_to_binary(value), write_opts)
+
   defp sanitize_opts(opts) do
     [ raw, rest ] = Keyword.split(opts, @opts_to_convert_to_bitlists)
     converted = Enum.map(raw, fn {k, val} -> {k, to_charlist(val)} end)