diff --git a/taskflow/examples/persistence_example.py b/taskflow/examples/persistence_example.py
index 760cf869..7c530557 100644
--- a/taskflow/examples/persistence_example.py
+++ b/taskflow/examples/persistence_example.py
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ from taskflow.patterns import linear_flow as lf
 from taskflow.persistence import backends
 from taskflow.persistence import logbook
 from taskflow import task
+from taskflow.utils import persistence_utils as p_utils
 
 import tempfile
 
@@ -63,18 +64,6 @@ def make_flow(blowup=False):
     return flo
 
 
-def dump_book(book):
-    for fd in book:
-        print("+ Ran '%s' (%s)" % (fd.name, fd.state))
-        for td in fd:
-            print(" - name = %s" % (td.name))
-            print("   state = %s" % (td.state))
-            print("   results = %s" % (td.results))
-            print("   failure = %s" % (bool(td.failure)))
-            if td.meta and 'progress' in td.meta:
-                print("   progress = %0.2f%%" % (td.meta['progress'] * 100))
-
-
 def print_wrapped(text):
     print("-" * (len(text)))
     print(text)
@@ -119,4 +108,4 @@ except Exception:
     traceback.print_exc(file=sys.stdout)
 
 print_wrapped("Book contents")
-dump_book(engine_config['book'])
+print(p_utils.pformat(engine_config['book']))
diff --git a/taskflow/utils/persistence_utils.py b/taskflow/utils/persistence_utils.py
index 5f5ea0ec..846c5af7 100644
--- a/taskflow/utils/persistence_utils.py
+++ b/taskflow/utils/persistence_utils.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import contextlib
 import copy
 import logging
 
+from taskflow.openstack.common import timeutils
 from taskflow.openstack.common import uuidutils
 from taskflow.persistence import logbook
 from taskflow.utils import misc
@@ -191,3 +192,74 @@ def failure_from_dict(data):
         raise ValueError('Invalid version of saved Failure object: %r'
                          % version)
     return misc.Failure(**data)
+
+
+def _format_meta(metadata, indent):
+    """Format the common metadata dictionary in the same manner."""
+    if not metadata:
+        return []
+    lines = [
+        '%s- metadata:' % (" " * indent),
+    ]
+    for (k, v) in metadata.items():
+        # Progress for now is a special snowflake and will be formatted
+        # in percent format.
+        if k == 'progress' and isinstance(v, (float, int, long)):
+            v = "%0.2f%%" % (v * 100.0)
+        lines.append("%s+ %s = %s" % (" " * (indent + 2), k, v))
+    return lines
+
+
+def _format_shared(obj, indent):
+    """Format the common shared attributes in the same manner."""
+    if obj is None:
+        return []
+    lines = []
+    for attr_name in ("uuid", "state"):
+        if not hasattr(obj, attr_name):
+            continue
+        lines.append("%s- %s = %s" % (" " * indent, attr_name,
+                                      getattr(obj, attr_name)))
+    return lines
+
+
+def pformat_task_detail(task_detail, indent=0):
+    """Pretty formats a task detail"""
+    lines = ["%sTask: '%s'" % (" " * (indent), task_detail.name)]
+    lines.extend(_format_shared(task_detail, indent=indent + 1))
+    lines.append("%s- version = %s"
+                 % (" " * (indent + 1), misc.get_version_string(task_detail)))
+    lines.append("%s- results = %s"
+                 % (" " * (indent + 1), task_detail.results))
+    lines.append("%s- failure = %s" % (" " * (indent + 1),
+                                       bool(task_detail.failure)))
+    lines.extend(_format_meta(task_detail.meta, indent=indent + 1))
+    return "\n".join(lines)
+
+
+def pformat_flow_detail(flow_detail, indent=0):
+    """Pretty formats a flow detail"""
+    lines = ["%sFlow: '%s'" % (" " * indent, flow_detail.name)]
+    lines.extend(_format_shared(flow_detail, indent=indent + 1))
+    lines.extend(_format_meta(flow_detail.meta, indent=indent + 1))
+    for task_detail in flow_detail:
+        lines.append(pformat_task_detail(task_detail, indent=indent + 1))
+    return "\n".join(lines)
+
+
+def pformat(book, indent=0):
+    """Pretty formats a logbook"""
+    lines = ["%sLogbook: '%s'" % (" " * indent, book.name)]
+    lines.extend(_format_shared(book, indent=indent + 1))
+    lines.extend(_format_meta(book.meta, indent=indent + 1))
+    if book.created_at is not None:
+        lines.append("%s- created_at = %s"
+                     % (" " * (indent + 1),
+                        timeutils.isotime(book.created_at)))
+    if book.updated_at is not None:
+        lines.append("%s- updated_at = %s"
+                     % (" " * (indent + 1),
+                        timeutils.isotime(book.updated_at)))
+    for flow_detail in book:
+        lines.append(pformat_flow_detail(flow_detail, indent=indent + 1))
+    return "\n".join(lines)