diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5d7de68..c4e618a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -36,4 +36,21 @@ opam pin add pgx https://github.com/arenadotio/pgx.git
 
 ## Examples
 
-See [pgx_async/bin/pgx_async_example.ml](pgx_async/bin/pgx_async_example.ml).
+See [pgx_async/bin/pgx_async_example.ml](pgx_async/bin/pgx_async_example.ml) for
+a complete example of the high-level functional interface. To translate the
+example to Lwt, replace `Pgx_async` with `Pgx_lwt` and `>>| with `>|=`. To
+translate it to synchronous IO / standard-library-only, use `Pgx_unix` and
+replace both `>>|` and `>>=` with `|>`, or just replace `>>| fun () ->` with `;`.
+
+I.e. in `Pgx_unix`, you can replace:
+
+```ocaml
+Pgx_async.execute ~params "INSERT INTO ..."
+>>| fun () ->
+```
+
+... with:
+
+```ocaml
+Pgx_unix.execute ~params "INSERT INTO ...";
+```
diff --git a/pgx_async/bin/pgx_async_example.ml b/pgx_async/bin/pgx_async_example.ml
index 8598e4d..5c93bd6 100644
--- a/pgx_async/bin/pgx_async_example.ml
+++ b/pgx_async/bin/pgx_async_example.ml
@@ -2,174 +2,116 @@
 open Core
 open Async
 
-let print_table dbh =
-  let query_all = "SELECT * FROM Company" in
-  Pgx_async.simple_query dbh query_all
-  >>| fun x -> printf !"%{sexp: Pgx.row list list}\n" x
+module Employee = struct
+  let create db =
+    Pgx_async.simple_query db {|
+      CREATE TEMPORARY TABLE Employee (
+        id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
+        name VARCHAR(100) NOT NULL UNIQUE);
+    |}
+    |> Deferred.ignore
+
+  (* This function lets us insert multiple users relatively efficiently *)
+  let insert_many db names =
+    let params =
+      List.map names ~f:(fun name ->
+        Pgx_async.Value.[ of_string name ])
+    in
+    Pgx_async.execute_many db ~params ~query:{|
+      INSERT INTO Employee (name)
+      VALUES ($1)
+      RETURNING id
+    |}
+    >>| List.map ~f:(function
+      | [[ id ]] -> Pgx.Value.to_int_exn id
+      | _ -> assert false)
+
+  let insert ~name db =
+    insert_many db [ name ]
+    >>| List.hd_exn
+end
+
+module Facility = struct
+  let create db =
+    Pgx_async.simple_query db {|
+      CREATE TEMPORARY TABLE Facility (
+        id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
+        name VARCHAR(100) NOT NULL UNIQUE,
+        director_id INT REFERENCES Employee(id) ON DELETE SET NULL);
+
+      CREATE INDEX facility_director_id ON Facility (director_id);
+    |}
+    |> Deferred.ignore
+
+  let insert ~name ?director_id db =
+    let params = Pgx_async.Value.[ of_string name ; opt of_int director_id ] in
+    Pgx_async.execute db ~params {|
+      INSERT INTO Facility (name, director_id)
+      VALUES ($1, $2)
+      RETURNING id
+    |}
+    >>| function
+    | [[ id ]] -> Pgx.Value.to_int_exn id
+    | _ -> assert false
+
+  let all_name_and_director_name db =
+    Pgx_async.execute db {|
+      SELECT f.name, e.name
+      FROM Facility f
+      LEFT JOIN Employee e ON e.id = f.director_id
+    |}
+    >>| List.map ~f:(function
+      | [ name ; director_name ] ->
+        Pgx.Value.(to_string_exn name, to_string director_name)
+      | _ -> assert false)
+
+  let reassign_director db ~director_id ~from_facility_id ~to_facility_id =
+    (* Note: with_transaction doesn't currently have any special handling
+       for concurrent queries *)
+    Pgx_async.with_transaction db @@ fun db ->
+    let params = Pgx.Value.[ of_int director_id ; of_int from_facility_id ] in
+    Pgx_async.execute db ~params {|
+      UPDATE Facility SET director_id = NULL WHERE id = $2 AND director_id = $1
+    |}
+    >>= fun _ ->
+    let params = Pgx.Value.[ of_int director_id ; of_int to_facility_id ] in
+    Pgx_async.execute db ~params {|
+      UPDATE Facility SET director_id = $1 WHERE id = $2
+    |}
+    |> Deferred.ignore
+end
+
+let setup db =
+  Employee.create db
+  >>= fun () ->
+  Facility.create db
 
 let main () =
-
-  Pgx_async_test.with_temp_db
-    (fun dbh ~db_name:_ ->
-       (** Create the table *)
-       print_endline "creating table";
-       Pgx_async.simple_query dbh
-         "CREATE TABLE Company( \
-          id INT PRIMARY KEY     NOT NULL, \
-          name           TEXT    NOT NULL, \
-          age            INT     NOT NULL, \
-          address        VARCHAR(50), \
-          salary         REAL)"
-
-       (** Inserting one row with prepare and execute_prepared *)
-       >>= fun _ ->
-       print_endline "inserting 1 row";
-       let insert_query = "INSERT INTO Company (id, name, age, address, salary) \
-                           VALUES ($1, $2, $3, $4, $5)" in
-       let params = [ Some "2" ; Some "John" ; Some "21" ; Some "Pittsburgh" ; Some "100000.0" ] in
-       Pgx_async.Prepared.(with_prepare dbh ~query:insert_query
-                             ~f:(execute ~params))
-
-       (** Inserting multiple rows with prepare_execute_prepared_many *)
-       >>= fun _ ->
-       print_endline "inserting 2 rows at the same time";
-       let params = [[ Some "4" ; Some "Robert" ; Some "21" ; Some "Pittsburgh" ; Some "100000.0"]
-                    ;[ Some "3" ; Some "John"   ; Some "23" ; Some "New York"   ; Some "30000.0" ]] in
-       Pgx_async.execute_many dbh ~query:insert_query ~params
-
-       (** Select a single row, with id = 3*)
-       >>= fun _ ->
-       print_endline "selecting name with id = 3";
-       let query_select_id = "SELECT name FROM Company WHERE id = $1" in
-       let params = [ Some "3" ] in
-       Pgx_async.execute dbh query_select_id ~params
-       >>= fun rows ->
-       printf !"%{sexp: Pgx.row list}\n" rows;
-
-       (** Alter table by deleting the column address *)
-       print_endline "altering table by dropping column address";
-       let query = "ALTER TABLE Company
-                     DROP COLUMN address" in
-       Pgx_async.simple_query dbh query
-
-       >>= fun _ -> print_table dbh
-
-       (** adding a new column gender *)
-       >>= fun _ ->
-       print_endline "altering table by adding gender column";
-       let query = "ALTER TABLE Company
-                     ADD COLUMN gender TEXT" in
-       Pgx_async.simple_query dbh query
-
-       >>= fun _ -> print_table dbh
-
-       >>= fun _ ->
-       print_endline "updating John's gender";
-       let query = "UPDATE Company
-                     SET gender = $1
-                     WHERE name = $2" in
-       let params = [ Some "male" ; Some "John" ] in
-       Pgx_async.execute dbh query ~params
-
-       >>= fun _ -> print_table dbh
-
-       (** Update a row *)
-       >>= fun _ ->
-       print_endline "updating person with id = 4";
-       let query = "UPDATE Company
-                     SET name = $1, age = $2
-                     WHERE id = $3" in
-       let params = [ Some "Roger" ; Some "34" ; Some "4" ] in
-       Pgx_async.execute dbh query ~params
-
-       >>= fun _ -> print_table dbh
-
-       (** Delete a row *)
-       >>= fun _ ->
-       print_endline "deleting person with id = 4";
-       let query = "DELETE FROM Company
-                     WHERE id= $1" in
-       let params = [ Some "4" ] in
-       Pgx_async.execute dbh query ~params
-
-       >>= fun _ -> print_table dbh
-
-       (** Begin Transaction using Pgx_async.transact *)
-       >>= fun () ->
-       print_endline "start transaction";
-       Monitor.try_with  (fun () ->
-         Pgx_async.with_transaction dbh
-           (fun dbh ->
-              (** Deleting id = 2 *)
-              print_endline "deleting person with id = 2";
-              let query = "DELETE FROM Company WHERE id = $1" in
-              let params = [ Some "2" ] in
-              Pgx_async.execute dbh query ~params
-
-              >>= fun _ -> print_table dbh
-
-              (** if an exception is thrown, rollback will be done *)
-              >>= fun () -> failwith "example exception"
-           )
-         >>| function
-         | Ok v -> v
-         | Error _e -> print_endline "caught exception"
-       )
-
-       >>= fun _ ->
-       print_endline "exception was thrown in transaction, so rollback executed";
-       print_table dbh
-
-       (** Begin Transaction using manual transaction *)
-       >>= fun () -> Pgx_async.begin_work dbh
-       >>= fun tx ->
-       print_endline "start transaction";
-
-       (** Add a guy with id = 5 *)
-       print_endline "inserting person with id = 5";
-       let query = "INSERT INTO Company (id, name, age, salary) VALUES ($1, $2, $3, $4)" in
-       let params = [ Some "5" ; Some "Alex" ; Some "15" ; Some "60000.0" ] in
-       Pgx_async.execute dbh query ~params
-
-       >>= fun _ ->
-       print_endline "commit to inserting person with id = 5";
-
-       Pgx_async.commit tx
-
-       (** rollback and commit both automatically exit the transaction *)
-       >>= fun _ -> print_table dbh
-
-       (** begin work again *)
-       >>= fun () -> Pgx_async.begin_work dbh
-       >>= fun _ ->
-       print_endline "start transaction";
-
-       (** update alex's salary by increasing it *)
-       print_endline "update alex's salary";
-       let query = "UPDATE Company
-                     SET salary = $1
-                     WHERE name = $2" in
-       let params = [ Some "70000.0" ; Some "Alex" ] in
-       Pgx_async.execute dbh query ~params
-
-       >>= fun _ -> print_table dbh
-
-       (** rollback to alex's original salary *)
-       >>= fun _ ->
-       print_endline "rollback to alex's original salary";
-       Pgx_async.rollback dbh
-
-       >>= fun _ -> print_table dbh
-
-       (** select multiple rows using execute_many *)
-       >>= fun _ ->
-       print_endline "selecting multiple lines at same time using execute_many. Make sure order is correct!";
-       let params = [[Some "John"; Some "50000"];[Some "Alex"; Some "0"]] in
-       Pgx_async.execute_many dbh ~query:"SELECT * FROM Company WHERE name = $1 and salary >= $2" ~params
-       >>| fun x -> printf !"%{sexp: Pgx.row list list}\n" x
-    )
+  Pgx_async.with_conn @@ fun db ->
+  setup db
+  >>= fun () ->
+  let%bind steve_id = Employee.insert ~name:"Steve" db in
+  (* Parallel queries are not an error, but will execute in serial *)
+  [ Facility.insert ~name:"Headquarters" ~director_id:steve_id db
+  ; Facility.insert ~name:"New Office" db ]
+  |> Deferred.all
+  >>= function
+  | [ headquarters_id ; new_office_id ] ->
+    Facility.all_name_and_director_name db
+    >>| List.iter ~f:(fun (name, director_name) ->
+      let director_name = Option.value director_name ~default:"(none)" in
+      printf "The director of %s is %s\n" name director_name)
+    >>= fun () ->
+    print_endline "Re-assigning Steve to the New Office";
+    Facility.reassign_director db ~director_id:steve_id ~from_facility_id:headquarters_id ~to_facility_id:new_office_id
+    >>= fun () ->
+    Facility.all_name_and_director_name db
+    >>| List.iter ~f:(fun (name, director_name) ->
+      let director_name = Option.value director_name ~default:"(none)" in
+      printf "The director of %s is %s\n" name director_name)
+  | _ -> assert false
 
 let () =
-  let summary = "example command" in
+  let summary = "Pgx_async example" in
   Command.async ~summary (Command.Param.return main)
   |> Command.run