diff --git a/epubcfi.js b/epubcfi.js
index a046bab..77ea1b9 100644
--- a/epubcfi.js
+++ b/epubcfi.js
@@ -320,3 +320,16 @@ export const fake = {
     fromIndex: index => `/6/${(index + 1) * 2}`,
     toIndex: parts => parts?.at(-1).index / 2 - 1,
 }
+
+// get CFI from Calibre bookmarks
+// see https://github.com/johnfactotum/foliate/issues/849
+export const fromCalibrePos = pos => {
+    const [parts] = parse(pos)
+    const item = parts.shift()
+    parts.shift()
+    return toString([[{ index: 6 }, item], parts])
+}
+export const fromCalibreHighlight = ({ spine_index, start_cfi, end_cfi }) => {
+    const pre = fake.fromIndex(spine_index) + '!'
+    return buildRange(pre + start_cfi.slice(2), pre + end_cfi.slice(2))
+}
diff --git a/reader.js b/reader.js
index 18bc892..ad3cf9b 100644
--- a/reader.js
+++ b/reader.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import './view.js'
 import { createTOCView } from './ui/tree.js'
 import { createMenu } from './ui/menu.js'
+import { Overlayer } from '../foliate-js/overlayer.js'
 
 const isZip = async file => {
     const arr = new Uint8Array(await file.slice(0, 4).arrayBuffer())
@@ -152,6 +153,8 @@ class Reader {
         maxColumns: 2,
         maxColumnWidth: 720,
     }
+    annotations = new Map()
+    annotationsByValue = new Map()
     closeSideBar() {
         $('#dimming-overlay').classList.remove('show')
         $('#side-bar').classList.remove('show')
@@ -237,6 +240,39 @@ class Reader {
             })
             $('#toc-view').append(this.#tocView.element)
         }
+
+        // load and show highlights embedded in the file by Calibre
+        const bookmarks = await book.getCalibreBookmarks?.()
+        if (bookmarks) {
+            const { fromCalibreHighlight } = await import('./epubcfi.js')
+            for (const obj of bookmarks) {
+                if (obj.type === 'highlight') {
+                    const value = fromCalibreHighlight(obj)
+                    const color = obj.style.which
+                    const note = obj.notes
+                    const annotation = { value, color, note }
+                    const list = this.annotations.get(obj.spine_index)
+                    if (list) list.push(annotation)
+                    else this.annotations.set(obj.spine_index, [annotation])
+                    this.annotationsByValue.set(value, annotation)
+                }
+            }
+            this.view.addEventListener('create-overlay', e => {
+                const { index } = e.detail
+                const list = this.annotations.get(index)
+                if (list) for (const annotation of list)
+                    this.view.addAnnotation(annotation)
+            })
+            this.view.addEventListener('draw-annotation', e => {
+                const { draw, annotation } = e.detail
+                const { color } = annotation
+                draw(Overlayer.highlight, { color })
+            })
+            this.view.addEventListener('show-annotation', e => {
+                const annotation = this.annotationsByValue.get(e.detail.value)
+                if (annotation.note) alert(annotation.note)
+            })
+        }
     }
     setAppearance = () => {
         this.view?.setAppearance({ css: getCSS(this.style), layout: this.layout })