diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 6edb14a..5620f2a 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -12,6 +12,20 @@ set(CMAKE_CXX_RELEASE_FLAGS "-DNDEBUG=1")
 
 set(DEPDIR $ENV{DEPDIR})
 
+set(Boost_USE_STATIC_LIBS ON)
+set(Boost_USE_MULTITHREADED ON)
+
+if(WINDOWS)
+  set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_RELEASE "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_RELEASE} /MT /NODEFAULTLIB")
+  set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_DEBUG "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_DEBUG} /MTd")
+  add_definitions(-DBOOST_ALL_NO_LIB)
+endif()
+
+find_package(Boost REQUIRED COMPONENTS filesystem system)
+include_directories(${Boost_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+link_libraries(${Boost_LIBRARIES})
+
+
 # find dependencies
 FIND_LIBRARY(GTEST_LIB gtest HINT ${DEPDIR}/lib )
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 90923e4..c29c856 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -60,5 +60,5 @@ The application can optionally persist the state by calling `persistState()`.  I
 ## Building Tests
 Define an environment variable named DEPDIR that has dependencies installed in ./include and ./lib subdirectories.  I build them using [mason](https://github.com/mapbox/mason) install and link .
 ```
-DEPDIR=/path/to/mason_packages/.link cmake ..
+DEPDIR=/path/to/mason_packages/.link BOOST_ROOT=/path/to/mason_packages/.link cmake ..
 ```