diff --git a/papers/color.py b/papers/color.py
index a01d350..7a4a1c7 100644
--- a/papers/color.py
+++ b/papers/color.py
@@ -1,29 +1,55 @@
 # display
 
-bold    = '\033[1m'
-end     = '\033[0m'
+BOLD = '\033[1m'
+END  = '\033[0m'
 
-black   = '\033[0;30m'
-red     = '\033[0;31m'
-green   = '\033[0;32m'
-yellow  = '\033[0;33m'
-blue    = '\033[0;34m'
-purple  = '\033[0;35m'
-cyan    = '\033[0;36m'
-grey    = '\033[0;37m'
+COLORS = {
+    'black' : '\033[0;30m',
+    'red'   : '\033[0;31m',
+    'green' : '\033[0;32m',
+    'yellow': '\033[0;33m',
+    'blue'  : '\033[0;34m',
+    'purple': '\033[0;35m',
+    'cyan'  : '\033[0;36m',
+    'grey'  : '\032[0;37m',
+    }
 
 # Bold
-bblack  = '\033[1;30m'
-bred    = '\033[1;31m'
-bgreen  = '\033[1;32m'
-byellow = '\033[1;33m'
-bblue   = '\033[1;34m'
-bpurple = '\033[1;35m'
-bcyan   = '\033[1;36m'
-bgrey   = '\033[1;37m'
+BCOLORS = {
+    'black' : '\033[1;30m',
+    'red'   : '\033[1;31m',
+    'green' : '\033[1;32m',
+    'yellow': '\033[1;33m',
+    'blue'  : '\033[1;34m',
+    'purple': '\033[1;35m',
+    'cyan'  : '\033[1;36m',
+    'grey'  : '\033[1;37m',
+    }
 
 # application specific
-error    = red
-normal   = grey
-citekey  = purple
-filepath = cyan
+ALIASES = {
+    'error'   : 'red',
+    'normal'  : 'grey',
+    'citekey' : 'purple',
+    'filepath': 'cyan',
+    }
+
+
+def colored(s, color=None, bold=False):
+    if color in ALIASES:
+        color = ALIASES[color]
+    try:
+        if bold:
+            color_code = BCOLORS[color]
+        else:
+            color_code = COLORS[color]
+    except KeyError:
+        if bold:
+            color_code = CODE
+        else:
+            color_code = ''
+    if color_code != '':
+        end_code = END
+    else:
+        end_code = ''
+    return color_code + s + end_code
diff --git a/papers/commands/import_cmd.py b/papers/commands/import_cmd.py
index 0844c43..3d9e029 100644
--- a/papers/commands/import_cmd.py
+++ b/papers/commands/import_cmd.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import shutil
 
 from .. import repo
 from ..paper import Paper, NoDocumentFile
+from .. import files
 
 
 def parser(subparsers, config):
@@ -27,12 +28,12 @@ def command(config, bibpath, copy):
         copy = config.get('papers', 'import-copy')
     rp = repo.Repository.from_directory()
     # Get directory for document
-    doc_path = rp.get_document_directory(config)
+    doc_path = files.clean_path(rp.get_document_directory(config))
     if not (os.path.exists(doc_path) and os.path.isdir(doc_path)):
         print "Document directory %s, does not exist." % doc_path
         sys.exit(1)
     # Extract papers from bib
-    papers = Paper.many_from_path(bibpath)
+    papers = Paper.many_from_path(bibpath, fatal=False)
     for p in papers:
         doc_file = None
         try:
diff --git a/papers/commands/init_cmd.py b/papers/commands/init_cmd.py
index 070bc1b..03db14a 100644
--- a/papers/commands/init_cmd.py
+++ b/papers/commands/init_cmd.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 import os
 
 from ..repo import Repository
-from .. import color
+from ..color import colored
 
 
 def parser(subparsers, config):
@@ -16,12 +16,13 @@ def command(config):
     """Create a .papers directory"""
     papersdir = os.getcwd() + '/.papers'
     if not os.path.exists(papersdir):
-        print('{}initializing papers in {}{}{}'.format(
-               color.grey, color.cyan, papersdir, color.end))
+        print('Initializing papers in {}'.format(
+               colored(papersdir, 'filepath')))
         repo = Repository()
         repo.init(papersdir)  # Creates directories
         repo.save()  # Saves empty repository description
     else:
-        print('{}error {} : papers already present in {}{}{}'.format(
-               color.red, color.grey, color.cyan, papersdir, color.end))
+        print(colored('error', 'error') +
+                ' : papers already present in {}.'.format(
+               colored(papersdir, 'filepath')))
         exit(-1)
diff --git a/papers/commands/list_cmd.py b/papers/commands/list_cmd.py
index 768a060..ea8c788 100644
--- a/papers/commands/list_cmd.py
+++ b/papers/commands/list_cmd.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import subprocess
 import tempfile
 
 from .. import pretty
-from .. import color
+from ..color import colored
 from .. import repo
 
 
@@ -17,7 +17,11 @@ def command(config):
     for n in range(rp.size()):
         paper = rp.paper_from_number(n, fatal=True)
         bibdesc = pretty.bib_oneliner(paper.bibentry)
-        articles.append((u'{:3d} {}{}{}{}   {}'.format(int(n), color.purple, rp.citekeys[n], color.end, (10 - len(paper.citekey))*' ', bibdesc)).encode('utf-8'))
+        articles.append((u'{num:d}: [{citekey}] {descr}'.format(
+            num=int(n),
+            citekey=colored(rp.citekeys[n], 'purple'),
+            descr=bibdesc,
+            )).encode('utf-8'))
 
     with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(suffix=".tmp", delete=True) as tmpf:
         tmpf.write('\n'.join(articles))
diff --git a/papers/commands/open_cmd.py b/papers/commands/open_cmd.py
index a820ce4..391bbe2 100644
--- a/papers/commands/open_cmd.py
+++ b/papers/commands/open_cmd.py
@@ -1,13 +1,15 @@
 import subprocess
 
-from .. import color
+from ..color import colored
 from .. import repo
 from ..paper import NoDocumentFile
 
 
 def parser(subparsers, config):
-    parser = subparsers.add_parser('open', help='{}open the paper in a pdf viewer{}'.format(color.normal, color.end))
-    parser.add_argument('citekey', help='{}the paper associated citekey{}'.format(color.normal, color.end))
+    parser = subparsers.add_parser('open',
+            help=colored('open the paper in a pdf viewer', 'normal'))
+    parser.add_argument('citekey',
+            help=colored('the paper associated citekey', 'normal'))
     return parser
 
 
@@ -19,11 +21,10 @@ def command(config, citekey):
             filepath = paper.get_file_path()
             subprocess.Popen([config.get('papers', 'open-cmd'),
                 filepath])
-            print('{}{}{} opened.{}'.format(
-                color.filepath, filepath, color.normal, color.end))
+            print('{} opened.'.format(colored(filepath, 'filepath')))
         else:
             raise NoDocumentFile
     except NoDocumentFile:
-        print('{}error{}: No document associated to this entry {}{}{}'.format(
-            color.error, color.normal, color.citekey, citekey, color.end))
+        print('{}: No document associated to this entry {}{}{}'.format(
+            colored('error', 'error'), colored('citekey', 'citekey')))
         exit(-1)
diff --git a/papers/files.py b/papers/files.py
index 8f74fdc..1508478 100644
--- a/papers/files.py
+++ b/papers/files.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import tempfile
 
 import yaml
 
-import color
+from .color import colored
 
 try:
     import pybtex
@@ -19,8 +19,9 @@ try:
     import pybtex.database.output.bibyaml
 
 except ImportError:
-    print '{}error{}: you need to install Pybtex; try running \'pip install'
-    'pybtex\' or \'easy_install pybtex\''.format(color.red, color.end)
+    print(colored('error', 'error')
+            + ': you need to install Pybtex; try running \'pip install'
+            'pybtex\' or \'easy_install pybtex\'')
 
 
 _papersdir = None
@@ -42,17 +43,20 @@ def find_papersdir():
     if _papersdir is None:
         curdir = os.path.abspath('')
         while curdir != '':
-            if (os.path.exists(curdir + '/.papers')
-                    and os.path.isdir(curdir + '/.papers')):
+            curdir_path = os.path.join(clean_path(curdir), '.papers')
+            if (os.path.exists(curdir_path) and os.path.isdir(curdir_path)):
                 _papersdir = curdir + '/.papers'
                 curdir = ''
             if curdir == '/':
+                curdir = '~'
+            elif curdir == '~':
                 curdir = ''
             else:
                 curdir = os.path.split(curdir)[0]
         if _papersdir is None:
-            print '{}error{} : no papers repo found in this directory or in'
-            'any parent directory.{}'.format(color.red, color.grey, color.end)
+            print (colored('error', 'error')
+                    + ': no papers repo found in this directory or in '
+                    'any parent directory.')
             exit(-1)
     return _papersdir
 
@@ -61,22 +65,22 @@ def name_from_path(fullpdfpath, verbose=False):
     name, ext = os.path.splitext(os.path.split(fullpdfpath)[1])
     if verbose:
         if ext != '.pdf' and ext != '.ps':
-            print('{}warning{}: extension {}{}{} not recognized{}'.format(
-                   color.yellow, color.grey, color.cyan, ext, color.grey,
-                   color.end))
+            print(colored('warning', 'yellow')
+                    + '{: extension {ext} not recognized'.format(
+                        ext=colored(ext, 'cyan')))
     return name, ext
 
 
 def check_file(filepath):
     if not os.path.exists(filepath):
-        print '{}error{}: {}{}{} does not exists{}'.format(
-               color.red, color.grey, color.cyan, filepath, color.grey,
-               color.end)
+        print(colored('error', 'error') +
+                ': {} does not exists'.format(
+               colored(filepath, 'filepath')))
         exit(-1)
     if not os.path.isfile(filepath):
-        print '{}error{}: {}{}{} is not a file{}'.format(
-               color.red, color.grey, color.cyan, filepath, color.grey,
-               color.end)
+        print(colored('error', 'error')
+                + ': {} is not a file'.format(
+                    colored(filepath, 'filepath')))
         exit(-1)
 
 
@@ -87,8 +91,9 @@ def write_yamlfile(filepath, datamap):
         with open(filepath, 'w') as f:
             yaml.dump(datamap, f)
     except IOError:
-        print '{}error{} : impossible to read file {}{:s}{}'.format(
-               color.red, color.grey, color.cyan, filepath, color.end)
+        print(colored('error', 'error')
+                + ': impossible to read file {}'.format(
+                    colored(filepath, 'filepath')))
         exit(-1)
 
 
@@ -98,8 +103,9 @@ def read_yamlfile(filepath):
         with open(filepath, 'r') as f:
             return yaml.load(f)
     except IOError:
-        print '{}error{} : impossible to read file {}{:s}{}'.format(
-               color.red, color.grey, color.cyan, filepath, color.end)
+        print(colored('error', 'error')
+                + ': impossible to read file {}'.format(
+                    colored(filepath, 'filepath')))
         exit(-1)
 
 
@@ -137,8 +143,9 @@ def load_externalbibfile(fullbibpath):
         parser = pybtex.database.input.bibyaml.Parser()
         bib_data = parser.parse_file(fullbibpath)
     else:
-        print '{}error{}: {}{}{} not recognized format for bibliography{}'.format(
-               color.red, color.grey, color.cyan, ext, color.grey, color.end)
+        print(colored('error', 'error')
+                + ': {} not recognized format for bibliography'.format(
+                    colored(ext, 'cyan')))
         exit(-1)
 
     return bib_data
diff --git a/papers/paper.py b/papers/paper.py
index f7353fa..c8a14aa 100644
--- a/papers/paper.py
+++ b/papers/paper.py
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ class Paper(object):
         return BASE_META.copy()
 
     @classmethod
-    def many_from_path(cls, bibpath):
+    def many_from_path(cls, bibpath, fatal=True):
         """Extract list of papers found in bibliographic files in path.
         """
         bibpath = files.clean_path(bibpath)
@@ -182,5 +182,15 @@ class Paper(object):
         else:
             all_files = [bibpath]
         bib_data = [files.load_externalbibfile(f) for f in all_files]
-        return [Paper(bibentry=b.entries[k], citekey=k)
-                for b in bib_data for k in b.entries]
+        if fatal:
+            return [Paper(bibentry=b.entries[k], citekey=k)
+                    for b in bib_data for k in b.entries]
+        else:
+            papers = []
+            for b in bib_data:
+                for k in b.entries:
+                    try:
+                        papers.append(Paper(bibentry=b.entries[k], citekey=k))
+                    except ValueError, e:
+                        print "Warning, skipping paper (%s)." % e
+            return papers
diff --git a/papers/pretty.py b/papers/pretty.py
index fd1885a..1e2405b 100644
--- a/papers/pretty.py
+++ b/papers/pretty.py
@@ -1,16 +1,27 @@
 # display formatting
 
-import color
+from color import colored
+
 
 def person_repr(p):
-    return ' '.join(s for s in [' '.join(p.first(abbr = True)),
-                                 ' '.join(p.middle(abbr = True)),
-                                 ' '.join(p.prelast(abbr = False)),
-                                 ' '.join(p.last(abbr = False)),
-                                 ' '.join(p.lineage(abbr = True))] if s)
+    return ' '.join(s for s in [
+        ' '.join(p.first(abbr=True)),
+        ' '.join(p.middle(abbr=True)),
+        ' '.join(p.prelast(abbr=False)),
+        ' '.join(p.last(abbr=False)),
+        ' '.join(p.lineage(abbr=True))] if s)
+
+
+def short_authors(bibentry):
+    authors = [person_repr(p) for p in bibentry.persons['author']]
+    if len(authors) < 3:
+        return ', '.join(authors)
+    else:
+        return authors[0] + (' et al.' if len(authors) > 1 else '')
+
 
 def bib_oneliner(bibentry):
-    authors = ', '.join(person_repr(p) for p in bibentry.persons['author'])
+    authors = short_authors(bibentry)
     title = bibentry.fields['title']
     year = bibentry.fields.get('year', '')
     journal = ''
@@ -18,14 +29,18 @@ def bib_oneliner(bibentry):
     if bibentry.type == 'inproceedings':
         field = 'booktitle'
     journal = bibentry.fields.get(field, '')
-    return u'{}{}{} \"{}{}{}\" {}{}{} {}({}{}{}){}'.format(
-            color.green, authors, color.grey, color.bcyan, title, color.grey,
-            color.yellow, journal, color.end, color.grey, color.end, year,
-            color.grey, color.end)
+    return u'{authors} \"{title}\" {journal} ({year})'.format(
+            authors=colored(authors, 'green'),
+            title=title,
+            journal=colored(journal, 'yellow'),
+            year=year,
+            )
+
 
 def bib_desc(bib_data):
     article = bib_data.entries[list(bib_data.entries.keys())[0]]
-    s  = '\n'.join('author: {}'.format(person_repr(p)) for p in article.persons['author'])
+    s = '\n'.join('author: {}'.format(person_repr(p))
+            for p in article.persons['author'])
     s += '\n'
     s += '\n'.join('{}: {}'.format(k, v) for k, v in article.fields.items())
     return s
diff --git a/papers/repo.py b/papers/repo.py
index 810a444..4f04fa8 100644
--- a/papers/repo.py
+++ b/papers/repo.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import color
+from .color import colored
 import os
 
 import files
@@ -25,11 +25,11 @@ class Repository(object):
             citekey = self.citekeys[int(number)]
             paper = self.paper_from_citekey(citekey)
             return paper
-        except KeyError:
+        except (IndexError, ValueError):
             if fatal:
-                print('{}error{}: no paper with number {}{}{}'.format(
-                    color.error, color.normal, color.citekey, citekey,
-                    color.end))
+                print(colored('error', 'error')
+                        + ': no paper with number {}'.format(
+                    colored(number, 'citekey')))
                 exit(-1)
             raise(IOError('file not found'))
 
@@ -40,9 +40,9 @@ class Repository(object):
                 metapath=self.path_to_paper_file(citekey, 'meta'))
         else:
             if fatal:
-                print('{}error{}: no paper with citekey {}{}{}'.format(
-                       color.error, color.normal, color.citekey, citekey,
-                       color.end))
+                print(colored('error', 'error')
+                        + ': no paper with citekey {}'.format(
+                       colored(citekey, 'citekey')))
                 exit(-1)
             raise(IOError('file not found'))
 
@@ -54,8 +54,9 @@ class Repository(object):
                 return self.paper_from_number(key, fatal=False)
             except IOError:
                 if fatal:
-                    print('{}error{}: paper with citekey or number {}{}{} not found{}'.format(
-                        color.error, color.normal, color.citekey, key, color.normal, color.end))
+                    print(colored('error', 'error')
+                            + (': paper with citekey or number %s not found'
+                                % colored(key, 'citekey')))
                     exit(-1)
                 raise(IOError('file not found'))
 
@@ -141,7 +142,7 @@ class Repository(object):
         repo = cls()
         if papersdir is None:
             papersdir = files.find_papersdir()
-        repo.papersdir = papersdir
+        repo.papersdir = files.clean_path(papersdir)
         repo.load()
         return repo