diff --git a/src/method.rs b/src/method.rs
index 6ebac2cd..86f36ea0 100644
--- a/src/method.rs
+++ b/src/method.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+use std::convert::TryFrom;
 use std::error::Error;
 use std::fmt::{self, Display};
 use std::str::FromStr;
@@ -86,3 +87,10 @@ impl FromStr for Method {
         }
     }
 }
+
+impl<'a> TryFrom<&'a str> for Method {
+    type Error = ParseError;
+    fn try_from(s: &'a str) -> Result<Self, Self::Error> {
+        s.parse()
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/request.rs b/src/request.rs
index c2d6ba4f..64cd5eb6 100644
--- a/src/request.rs
+++ b/src/request.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 use async_std::io::{self, BufRead, Read};
 
 use std::borrow::Borrow;
+use std::convert::TryInto;
 use std::fmt::{self, Debug};
 use std::pin::Pin;
 use std::task::{Context, Poll};
@@ -12,6 +13,17 @@ type BodyReader = dyn BufRead + Unpin + Send + 'static;
 
 pin_project_lite::pin_project! {
     /// An HTTP request.
+    ///
+    /// ```
+    /// # fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error + Send + Sync + 'static>> {
+    /// #
+    /// use http_types::{Url, Method, Request};
+    ///
+    /// let url = Url::parse("https://example.com")?;
+    /// let mut req = Request::new(Method::Get, url)?;
+    /// #
+    /// # Ok(()) }
+    /// ```
     pub struct Request {
         method: Method,
         url: Url,
@@ -24,14 +36,21 @@ pin_project_lite::pin_project! {
 
 impl Request {
     /// Create a new request.
-    pub fn new(method: Method, url: Url) -> Self {
-        Self {
-            method,
+    pub fn new<M>(
+        method: M,
+        url: Url,
+    ) -> Result<Self, Box<dyn std::error::Error + Send + Sync + 'static>>
+    where
+        M: TryInto<Method>,
+        <M as TryInto<Method>>::Error: Sync + Send + std::error::Error + 'static,
+    {
+        Ok(Self {
+            method: method.try_into()?,
             url,
             headers: Headers::new(),
             body_reader: Box::new(io::empty()),
             length: Some(0),
-        }
+        })
     }
 
     /// Get the HTTP method
diff --git a/src/response.rs b/src/response.rs
index 00a71068..a9650f99 100644
--- a/src/response.rs
+++ b/src/response.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 use async_std::io::{self, BufRead, Read};
 
 use std::borrow::Borrow;
+use std::convert::TryInto;
 use std::fmt::{self, Debug};
 use std::pin::Pin;
 use std::task::{Context, Poll};
@@ -12,6 +13,16 @@ type BodyReader = dyn BufRead + Unpin + Send + 'static;
 
 pin_project_lite::pin_project! {
     /// An HTTP response.
+    ///
+    /// ```
+    /// # fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error + Send + Sync + 'static>> {
+    /// #
+    /// use http_types::{Response, StatusCode};
+    ///
+    /// let mut req = Response::new(200)?;
+    /// #
+    /// # Ok(()) }
+    /// ```
     pub struct Response {
         #[pin]
         body_reader: Box<BodyReader>,
@@ -23,13 +34,17 @@ pin_project_lite::pin_project! {
 
 impl Response {
     /// Create a new response.
-    pub fn new(status: StatusCode) -> Self {
-        Self {
-            status,
+    pub fn new<S>(status: S) -> Result<Self, Box<dyn std::error::Error + Send + Sync + 'static>>
+    where
+        S: TryInto<StatusCode>,
+        <S as TryInto<StatusCode>>::Error: Sync + Send + std::error::Error + 'static,
+    {
+        Ok(Self {
+            status: status.try_into()?,
             headers: Headers::new(),
             body_reader: Box::new(io::empty()),
             length: Some(0),
-        }
+        })
     }
 
     /// Get the status
diff --git a/src/status_code.rs b/src/status_code.rs
index 7a48436b..f76a3900 100644
--- a/src/status_code.rs
+++ b/src/status_code.rs
@@ -466,6 +466,14 @@ impl Into<u16> for StatusCode {
     }
 }
 
+impl std::convert::TryFrom<i32> for StatusCode {
+    type Error = Box<dyn std::error::Error + Send + Sync + 'static>;
+
+    fn try_from(value: i32) -> Result<Self, Self::Error> {
+        Self::try_from(value as u16)
+    }
+}
+
 impl std::convert::TryFrom<u16> for StatusCode {
     type Error = Box<dyn std::error::Error + Send + Sync + 'static>;