diff --git a/nsq/reader.py b/nsq/reader.py
index da1a205..c7e0016 100644
--- a/nsq/reader.py
+++ b/nsq/reader.py
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
 import cgi
 import warnings
 import inspect
+import datetime
+import os.path
 
 try:
     import simplejson as json
@@ -131,6 +133,8 @@ def process_message(message):
 
     :param max_backoff_duration: the maximum time we will allow a backoff state to last in seconds
 
+    :param data_path: the directory failed messages will be archived to after ``max_tries``
+
     :param \*\*kwargs: passed to :class:`nsq.AsyncConn` initialization
     """
     def __init__(
@@ -149,6 +153,7 @@ def __init__(
             lookupd_poll_jitter=0.3,
             lookupd_connect_timeout=1,
             lookupd_request_timeout=2,
+            data_path=None,
             **kwargs):
         super(Reader, self).__init__(**kwargs)
 
@@ -161,6 +166,7 @@ def __init__(
         assert isinstance(lookupd_poll_jitter, float)
         assert isinstance(lookupd_connect_timeout, int)
         assert isinstance(lookupd_request_timeout, int)
+        assert isinstance(data_path, (str, unicode, None.__class__))
 
         assert lookupd_poll_jitter >= 0 and lookupd_poll_jitter <= 1
 
@@ -222,6 +228,7 @@ def __init__(
 
         self.redist_periodic = None
         self.query_periodic = None
+        self.data_path = data_path
 
     def _run(self):
         assert self.message_handler, "you must specify the Reader's message_handler"
@@ -702,14 +709,31 @@ def process_message(self, message):
 
     def giving_up(self, message):
         """
-        Called when a message has been received where ``msg.attempts > max_tries``
+        Called when a message has been received where ``msg.attempts > max_tries``.
+        
+        Failed messages will be archived to ``$data_path/$channel_$topic/%Y%m%d-%H%M%S-%f_$sequence.failed.msg``
 
-        This is useful to subclass and override to perform a task (such as writing to disk, etc.)
+        This is useful to subclass and override to perform a custom task (such as writing to disk, etc.)
 
         :param message: the :class:`nsq.Message` received
         """
-        logger.warning('[%s] giving up on message %s after %d tries (max:%d) %r',
-                       self.name, message.id, message.attempts, self.max_tries, message.body)
+
+        self.failed_count += 1
+        
+        path = os.path.join(self.data_path or "", self.topic + '_' + self.channel)
+        if not os.path.exists(path):
+            os.makedirs(path)
+        
+        date_str = datetime.datetime.utcnow().strftime("%Y%m%d-%H%M%S-%f")
+        filename = "%s_%d.failed.msg" % (date_str, self.failed_count)
+        filename = os.path.join(path, filename)
+        
+        logging.warning('[%s] giving up on message %s after %d tries (max:%d). Archived to %s %r',
+                        self.name, message.id, message.attempts, self.max_tries, filename, message.body)
+        
+        f = open(filename, 'wb')
+        f.write(message.body + '\n')
+        f.close()
                        
         
     def _on_connection_identify_response(self, conn, data, **kwargs):