diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 03f9de4..6b17993 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -10,3 +10,12 @@
 - Returning to a directory shows its previously marked entries again.
 - Moving marked entries uses the current TUI directory as the destination.
 - `.tui` lookup is limited to the user's home directory.
+
+## Unreleased
+
+- Hidden files and directories are hidden by default; use `tui -a` / `tui --all` to show them.
+- Added a synthetic parent-directory entry at the top of every listing.
+- Left arrow moves the cursor to the parent entry; pressing left again moves to the parent directory.
+- Navigation is limited to the directory containing the applicable `.tui` file.
+- Added `ls --color`-style colors for directories, symlinks, executables, archives and common image files.
+- Marked paths remain visible as marked when returning to their directory.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index cd66b60..778d95d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -56,8 +56,17 @@ Then:
 tui
 ```
 
+Use `-a` to include hidden files and directories:
+
+```bash
+tui -a
+```
+
 The installer does not overwrite an existing `~/.tui`.
 
+`-a` / `--all` is a command-line option, so the shell integration preserves it
+when the TUI restarts after an action.
+
 ## `.tui` configuration
 
 TUI searches for the nearest `.tui` starting in the current directory and
@@ -108,7 +117,12 @@ The default example configuration uses:
 
 - `↑` / `↓` — move cursor
 - `Enter` / `→` — execute the configured action
-- `←` — parent directory
+- `../` — synthetic parent-directory entry at the top of every listing
+- `←` — move the cursor to `../`; pressing `←` again enters the parent directory
+- `Enter` on `../` — enter the parent directory
+- navigation cannot move above the directory containing the applicable `.tui` file
+- hidden files and directories are hidden by default; `tui -a` shows them
+- file and directory colors follow the usual GNU `ls --color=yes` conventions for common file types
 - `Ctrl-K B` — set selection start
 - `Ctrl-K K` — set selection end
 - `Ctrl-K C` — copy marked files/folders
diff --git a/tui/tui-shell.bash b/tui/tui-shell.bash
index 9e1cd59..7c27876 100644
--- a/tui/tui-shell.bash
+++ b/tui/tui-shell.bash
@@ -11,7 +11,15 @@ tui() {
         return 127
     fi
 
-    local tui_dir="${1:-.}"
+    local tui_dir="."
+    local show_all=0
+    local arg
+    for arg in "$@"; do
+        case "$arg" in
+            -a|--all) show_all=1 ;;
+            *) tui_dir="$arg" ;;
+        esac
+    done
     local command_file
     local cwd_file
     local rc
@@ -25,9 +33,15 @@ tui() {
         : > "$command_file"
         : > "$cwd_file"
 
-        TUI_COMMAND_FILE="$command_file" \
-        TUI_CWD_FILE="$cwd_file" \
-            python3 "$tui_python" "$tui_dir"
+        if (( show_all )); then
+            TUI_COMMAND_FILE="$command_file" \
+            TUI_CWD_FILE="$cwd_file" \
+                python3 "$tui_python" -a "$tui_dir"
+        else
+            TUI_COMMAND_FILE="$command_file" \
+            TUI_CWD_FILE="$cwd_file" \
+                python3 "$tui_python" "$tui_dir"
+        fi
         rc=$?
 
         if (( rc != 42 )); then
diff --git a/tui/tui.py b/tui/tui.py
index 63d010e..5c865d0 100755
--- a/tui/tui.py
+++ b/tui/tui.py
@@ -134,9 +134,10 @@ class TuiConfig:
 
 
 class FileBrowser:
-    def __init__(self, start_dir="."):
+    def __init__(self, start_dir=".", show_all=False):
         self.home = Path.home().resolve()
         self.path = Path(start_dir).expanduser().resolve()
+        self.show_all = show_all
 
         if not self.path.is_dir():
             raise ValueError(f"Not a directory: {self.path}")
@@ -160,20 +161,25 @@ class FileBrowser:
 
         self.load()
 
+    @property
+    def root(self):
+        """Highest directory TUI may visit for the current configuration."""
+        return self.config.path.parent if self.config.path is not None else self.home
+
     def load(self):
         try:
-            self.entries = list(self.path.iterdir())
+            entries = list(self.path.iterdir())
         except OSError:
-            self.entries = []
+            entries = []
 
-        self.entries.sort(
-            key=lambda p: (not p.is_dir(), p.name.casefold())
-        )
+        if not self.show_all:
+            entries = [p for p in entries if not p.name.startswith(".")]
 
-        self.cursor = min(
-            self.cursor,
-            max(0, len(self.entries) - 1),
-        )
+        entries.sort(key=lambda p: (not p.is_dir(), p.name.casefold()))
+        self.entries = entries
+
+        # Cursor 0 is always the synthetic parent entry.
+        self.cursor = min(self.cursor, len(self.entries))
 
         # Marks are global absolute paths, so they survive directory changes.
         # Drop marks only for objects that no longer exist.
@@ -183,7 +189,13 @@ class FileBrowser:
         return self.config.path is not None
 
     def selected(self):
-        return self.entries[self.cursor] if self.entries else None
+        if self.cursor == 0:
+            return self.path.parent if self.path != self.root else None
+        index = self.cursor - 1
+        return self.entries[index] if 0 <= index < len(self.entries) else None
+
+    def current_entry_index(self):
+        return self.cursor - 1
 
     def _update_selection(self):
         """Update the current directory's range without touching other marks."""
@@ -213,29 +225,33 @@ class FileBrowser:
         if not self.entries:
             return
 
+        if self.cursor == 0:
+            return
+
         # B sets/replaces only the start endpoint. The end endpoint is kept,
         # so the existing selection can be expanded or reduced.
-        self.selection_start = self.cursor
+        self.selection_start = self.current_entry_index()
         self._update_selection()
 
     def mark_end(self):
         if not self.entries:
             return
 
+        if self.cursor == 0:
+            return
+
         # K sets/replaces only the end endpoint. The start endpoint is kept.
-        self.selection_end = self.cursor
+        self.selection_end = self.current_entry_index()
         self._update_selection()
 
     def move(self, delta):
-        if self.entries:
-            self.cursor = max(
-                0,
-                min(len(self.entries) - 1, self.cursor + delta),
-            )
+        self.cursor = max(0, min(len(self.entries), self.cursor + delta))
 
     def enter(self):
-        entry = self.selected()
+        if self.cursor == 0:
+            return self.parent()
 
+        entry = self.selected()
         if entry and entry.is_dir():
             self.path = entry.resolve()
             self.cursor = 0
@@ -246,8 +262,8 @@ class FileBrowser:
         return True
 
     def parent(self):
-        if self.path == self.home:
-            return False
+        if self.path == self.root:
+            return True
 
         self.path = self.path.parent
         self.cursor = 0
@@ -268,7 +284,8 @@ class FileBrowser:
                 if p.resolve() in self.marked
             ]
 
-        return [self.selected()] if self.selected() else []
+        selected = self.selected()
+        return [selected] if selected and selected != self.path.parent else []
 
     def resolve_key_action(self, sequence, target=None):
         binding = self.config.key_binding(sequence)
@@ -284,7 +301,7 @@ class FileBrowser:
         return (
             command
             .replace("<name>", target.name)
-            .replace("<path>", str(target))
+            .replace("<path>", str(target.resolve()))
             .replace("<dir>", directory)
         )
 
@@ -349,64 +366,86 @@ class FileBrowser:
 
 
 
+def init_colors():
+    if not curses.has_colors():
+        return
+    curses.start_color()
+    try:
+        curses.use_default_colors()
+    except curses.error:
+        pass
+
+    # Close to the default GNU ls --color palette.
+    curses.init_pair(1, curses.COLOR_BLUE, -1)    # directories
+    curses.init_pair(2, curses.COLOR_CYAN, -1)    # symlinks
+    curses.init_pair(3, curses.COLOR_GREEN, -1)   # executables
+    curses.init_pair(4, curses.COLOR_RED, -1)     # archives
+    curses.init_pair(5, curses.COLOR_MAGENTA, -1) # images
+    curses.init_pair(6, curses.COLOR_YELLOW, -1)  # devices / special
+    curses.init_pair(7, curses.COLOR_WHITE, -1)   # parent
+
+
+def entry_color(entry):
+    if entry is None:
+        return curses.color_pair(7) if curses.has_colors() else curses.A_NORMAL
+    try:
+        if entry.is_symlink():
+            pair = 2
+        elif entry.is_dir():
+            pair = 1
+        elif entry.is_file() and os.access(entry, os.X_OK):
+            pair = 3
+        else:
+            suffix = entry.suffix.lower()
+            if suffix in {'.tar', '.tgz', '.gz', '.bz2', '.xz', '.zip', '.7z', '.rar', '.zst'}:
+                pair = 4
+            elif suffix in {'.jpg', '.jpeg', '.png', '.gif', '.bmp', '.webp', '.svg', '.ico'}:
+                pair = 5
+            else:
+                pair = 0
+    except OSError:
+        pair = 0
+    return curses.color_pair(pair) if pair and curses.has_colors() else curses.A_NORMAL
+
+
 def draw(stdscr, browser, status=""):
     stdscr.erase()
-
     height, width = stdscr.getmaxyx()
 
     title = f" tui  {browser.path} "
-    stdscr.addnstr(
-        0,
-        0,
-        title,
-        max(0, width - 1),
-        curses.A_BOLD,
-    )
+    stdscr.addnstr(0, 0, title, max(0, width - 1), curses.A_BOLD)
 
     visible = max(1, height - 3)
+    # Position 0 is the synthetic parent entry.
     first = max(0, browser.cursor - visible + 1)
 
-    for row, entry in enumerate(
-        browser.entries[first:first + visible],
-        start=1,
-    ):
-        index = first + row - 1
+    for row in range(visible):
+        index = first + row
+        if index > len(browser.entries):
+            break
 
-        is_marked = entry.resolve() in browser.marked
-        attrs = curses.A_BOLD if entry.is_dir() else curses.A_NORMAL
+        if index == 0:
+            entry = browser.path.parent if browser.path != browser.root else None
+            text = "../" if entry is not None else "./"
+            attrs = entry_color(entry) | curses.A_BOLD
+            is_marked = False
+        else:
+            entry = browser.entries[index - 1]
+            is_marked = entry.resolve() in browser.marked
+            attrs = entry_color(entry)
+            if is_marked:
+                attrs |= curses.A_REVERSE
+            text = entry.name + ("/" if entry.is_dir() else "")
 
-        if is_marked:
-            # Marked items are visually filled/inverted.
-            attrs |= curses.A_REVERSE
-
-        name = entry.name + ("/" if entry.is_dir() else "")
-        text = name
-
-        # The cursor is an underline rather than a reverse-video row. This
-        # keeps the current item distinct from the selected/marked items.
         if index == browser.cursor:
             attrs |= curses.A_UNDERLINE
 
-        stdscr.addnstr(
-            row,
-            0,
-            text,
-            max(0, width - 1),
-            attrs,
-        )
+        stdscr.addnstr(row + 1, 0, text, max(0, width - 1), attrs)
 
     prompt = status or "> "
-    stdscr.addnstr(
-        height - 1,
-        0,
-        prompt,
-        max(0, width - 1),
-        curses.A_DIM,
-    )
-
+    stdscr.addnstr(height - 1, 0, prompt, max(0, width - 1), curses.A_DIM)
     stdscr.refresh()
 
-
 def read_ctrl_k(stdscr, browser):
     height, width = stdscr.getmaxyx()
 
@@ -434,7 +473,7 @@ def read_ctrl_k(stdscr, browser):
     return None, "Unknown Ctrl-K command"
 
 
-def run(stdscr, start_dir="."):
+def run(stdscr, start_dir=".", show_all=False):
     curses.curs_set(0)
     stdscr.keypad(True)
 
@@ -442,9 +481,10 @@ def run(stdscr, start_dir="."):
         curses.use_default_colors()
     except curses.error:
         pass
+    init_colors()
 
     try:
-        browser = FileBrowser(start_dir)
+        browser = FileBrowser(start_dir, show_all=show_all)
     except ValueError as exc:
         # Let curses.wrapper restore the terminal, then report the reason.
         raise SystemExit(str(exc))
@@ -498,6 +538,17 @@ def run(stdscr, start_dir="."):
                 status = message
             continue
 
+        # Left is navigation, not an action: first move the cursor to the
+        # parent entry; pressing left again enters that parent. This also
+        # makes the parent entry visible at the top of every directory.
+        if key == curses.KEY_LEFT:
+            if browser.cursor == 0:
+                if browser.parent() is False:
+                    return
+            else:
+                browser.cursor = 0
+            continue
+
         action = configured_action(key)
 
         if action == "up":
@@ -520,11 +571,13 @@ def run(stdscr, start_dir="."):
 
 def main():
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+    parser.add_argument("-a", "--all", action="store_true",
+                        help="show hidden files and directories")
     parser.add_argument("directory", nargs="?", default=".")
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
     try:
-        result = curses.wrapper(run, args.directory)
+        result = curses.wrapper(run, args.directory, args.all)
     except KeyboardInterrupt:
         return 0