diff --git a/src/main/scala/com/codahale/jerkson/Parser.scala b/src/main/scala/com/codahale/jerkson/Parser.scala
index 0c53192..e63c077 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/com/codahale/jerkson/Parser.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/com/codahale/jerkson/Parser.scala
@@ -12,36 +12,43 @@ trait Parser extends Factory {
    * Parse a JSON string as a particular type.
    */
   def parse[A](input: String)(implicit mf: Manifest[A]): A = parse[A](factory.createJsonParser(input), mf)
+  def parse[A](input: String, klass: Class[A]): A = parse[A](input)(Manifest.classType(klass))
 
   /**
    * Parse a JSON input stream as a particular type.
    */
   def parse[A](input: InputStream)(implicit mf: Manifest[A]): A = parse[A](factory.createJsonParser(input), mf)
+  def parse[A](input: InputStream, klass: Class[A]): A = parse[A](input)(Manifest.classType(klass))
 
   /**
    * Parse a JSON file as a particular type.
    */
   def parse[A](input: File)(implicit mf: Manifest[A]): A = parse[A](factory.createJsonParser(input), mf)
+  def parse[A](input: File, klass: Class[A]): A = parse[A](input)(Manifest.classType(klass))
 
   /**
    * Parse a JSON URL as a particular type.
    */
   def parse[A](input: URL)(implicit mf: Manifest[A]): A = parse[A](factory.createJsonParser(input), mf)
+  def parse[A](input: URL, klass: Class[A]): A = parse[A](input)(Manifest.classType(klass))
 
   /**
    * Parse a JSON Reader as a particular type.
    */
   def parse[A](input: Reader)(implicit mf: Manifest[A]): A = parse[A](factory.createJsonParser(input), mf)
+  def parse[A](input: Reader, klass: Class[A]): A = parse[A](input)(Manifest.classType(klass))
 
   /**
    * Parse a JSON byte array as a particular type.
    */
   def parse[A](input: Array[Byte])(implicit mf: Manifest[A]): A = parse[A](factory.createJsonParser(input), mf)
+  def parse[A](input: Array[Byte], klass: Class[A]): A = parse[A](input)(Manifest.classType(klass))
 
   /**
    * Parse a JSON Source as a particular type.
    */
   def parse[A](input: Source)(implicit mf: Manifest[A]): A = parse[A](input.mkString)
+  def parse[A](input: Source, klass: Class[A]): A = parse[A](input)(Manifest.classType(klass))
 
   /**
    * Parse a JSON node as a particular type.
@@ -50,6 +57,7 @@ trait Parser extends Factory {
     val parser = new TreeTraversingParser(input, mapper)
     parse(parser, mf)
   }
+  def parse[A](input: JsonNode, klass: Class[A]): A = parse[A](input)(Manifest.classType(klass))
 
   /**
    * Parse a streaming JSON array of particular types, returning an iterator
@@ -59,6 +67,7 @@ trait Parser extends Factory {
     val parser = factory.createJsonParser(input)
     new StreamingIterator[A](parser, mf)
   }
+  def stream[A](input: InputStream, klass: Class[A]): Iterator[A] = stream[A](input)(Manifest.classType(klass))
 
   /**
    * Parse a streaming JSON array of particular types, returning an iterator
@@ -68,6 +77,7 @@ trait Parser extends Factory {
     val parser = factory.createJsonParser(input)
     new StreamingIterator[A](parser, mf)
   }
+  def stream[A](input: Reader, klass: Class[A]): Iterator[A] = stream[A](input)(Manifest.classType(klass))
 
   private[jerkson] def parse[A](parser: JsonParser, mf: Manifest[A]): A = {
     try {
diff --git a/src/test/scala/com/codahale/jerkson/tests/EdgeCaseSpec.scala b/src/test/scala/com/codahale/jerkson/tests/EdgeCaseSpec.scala
index 4fdcb1c..9ae2a0a 100644
--- a/src/test/scala/com/codahale/jerkson/tests/EdgeCaseSpec.scala
+++ b/src/test/scala/com/codahale/jerkson/tests/EdgeCaseSpec.scala
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ class EdgeCaseSpec extends Spec {
   }
 
   class `Parsing malformed JSON` {
-    @Test def `should throw a ParsingException with an informative message` = {
+    @Test def `throws a ParsingException with an informative message` = {
       evaluating {
         parse[Boolean]("jjf8;09")
       }.must(throwA[ParsingException](
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ class EdgeCaseSpec extends Spec {
   }
 
   class `Parsing invalid JSON` {
-    @Test def `should throw a ParsingException with an informative message` = {
+    @Test def `throws a ParsingException with an informative message` = {
       evaluating {
         parse[CaseClass]("900")
       }.must(throwA[ParsingException](
@@ -59,11 +59,17 @@ class EdgeCaseSpec extends Spec {
   }
 
   class `Parsing an empty document` {
-    @Test def `should throw a ParsingException with an informative message` = {
+    @Test def `throws a ParsingException with an informative message` = {
       val input = new ByteArrayInputStream(Array.empty)
       evaluating {
         parse[CaseClass](input)
       }.must(throwA[ParsingException]("JSON document ended unexpectedly."))
     }
   }
+
+  class `Parsing a document with a Class[A]` {
+    @Test def `works` = {
+      parse("\"womp\"", classOf[String]).must(be("womp"))
+    }
+  }
 }