diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 06f319b..51888ea 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -156,7 +156,12 @@ Creating Custom Converters
 
 If you have a special usecase that calls for a special conversion, you can
 always inherit from ``MarkdownConverter`` and override the method you want to
-change:
+change.
+The function that handles a HTML tag named ``abc`` is called
+``convert_abc(self, el, text, convert_as_inline)`` and returns a string
+containing the converted HTML tag.
+The ``MarkdownConverter`` object will handle the conversion based on the
+function names:
 
 .. code:: python
 
@@ -173,6 +178,21 @@ change:
     def md(html, **options):
         return ImageBlockConverter(**options).convert(html)
 
+.. code:: python
+
+    from markdownify import MarkdownConverter
+
+    class IgnoreParagraphsConverter(MarkdownConverter):
+        """
+        Create a custom MarkdownConverter that ignores paragraphs
+        """
+        def convert_p(self, el, text, convert_as_inline):
+            return ''
+
+    # Create shorthand method for conversion
+    def md(html, **options):
+        return IgnoreParagraphsConverter(**options).convert(html)
+
 
 Command Line Interface
 ======================
diff --git a/markdownify/__init__.py b/markdownify/__init__.py
index e15ecd4..86226d2 100644
--- a/markdownify/__init__.py
+++ b/markdownify/__init__.py
@@ -152,13 +152,12 @@ class MarkdownConverter(object):
     def process_text(self, el):
         text = six.text_type(el) or ''
 
-        # dont remove any whitespace when handling pre or code in pre
-        if not (el.parent.name == 'pre'
-                or (el.parent.name == 'code'
-                    and el.parent.parent.name == 'pre')):
+        # normalize whitespace if we're not inside a preformatted element
+        if not el.find_parent('pre'):
             text = whitespace_re.sub(' ', text)
 
-        if el.parent.name != 'code' and el.parent.name != 'pre':
+        # escape special characters if we're not inside a preformatted or code element
+        if not el.find_parent(['pre', 'code', 'kbd', 'samp']):
             text = self.escape(text)
 
         # remove trailing whitespaces if any of the following condition is true:
@@ -238,7 +237,7 @@ class MarkdownConverter(object):
         if convert_as_inline:
             return text
 
-        return '\n' + (line_beginning_re.sub('> ', text) + '\n\n') if text else ''
+        return '\n' + (line_beginning_re.sub('> ', text.strip()) + '\n\n') if text else ''
 
     def convert_br(self, el, text, convert_as_inline):
         if convert_as_inline:
@@ -266,7 +265,7 @@ class MarkdownConverter(object):
             return text
 
         style = self.options['heading_style'].lower()
-        text = text.rstrip()
+        text = text.strip()
         if style == UNDERLINED and n <= 2:
             line = '=' if n == 1 else '-'
             return self.underline(text, line)
@@ -351,6 +350,12 @@ class MarkdownConverter(object):
 
         return '\n```%s\n%s\n```\n' % (code_language, text)
 
+    def convert_script(self, el, text, convert_as_inline):
+        return ''
+
+    def convert_style(self, el, text, convert_as_inline):
+        return ''
+
     convert_s = convert_del
 
     convert_strong = convert_b
@@ -364,20 +369,42 @@ class MarkdownConverter(object):
     def convert_table(self, el, text, convert_as_inline):
         return '\n\n' + text + '\n'
 
+    def convert_caption(self, el, text, convert_as_inline):
+        return text + '\n'
+
+    def convert_figcaption(self, el, text, convert_as_inline):
+        return '\n\n' + text + '\n\n'
+
     def convert_td(self, el, text, convert_as_inline):
-        return ' ' + text + ' |'
+        colspan = 1
+        if 'colspan' in el.attrs:
+            colspan = int(el['colspan'])
+        return ' ' + text.strip().replace("\n", " ") + ' |' * colspan
 
     def convert_th(self, el, text, convert_as_inline):
-        return ' ' + text + ' |'
+        colspan = 1
+        if 'colspan' in el.attrs:
+            colspan = int(el['colspan'])
+        return ' ' + text.strip().replace("\n", " ") + ' |' * colspan
 
     def convert_tr(self, el, text, convert_as_inline):
         cells = el.find_all(['td', 'th'])
-        is_headrow = all([cell.name == 'th' for cell in cells])
+        is_headrow = (
+            all([cell.name == 'th' for cell in cells])
+            or (not el.previous_sibling and not el.parent.name == 'tbody')
+            or (not el.previous_sibling and el.parent.name == 'tbody' and len(el.parent.parent.find_all(['thead'])) < 1)
+        )
         overline = ''
         underline = ''
         if is_headrow and not el.previous_sibling:
             # first row and is headline: print headline underline
-            underline += '| ' + ' | '.join(['---'] * len(cells)) + ' |' + '\n'
+            full_colspan = 0
+            for cell in cells:
+                if "colspan" in cell.attrs:
+                    full_colspan += int(cell["colspan"])
+                else:
+                    full_colspan += 1
+            underline += '| ' + ' | '.join(['---'] * full_colspan) + ' |' + '\n'
         elif (not el.previous_sibling
               and (el.parent.name == 'table'
                    or (el.parent.name == 'tbody'
diff --git a/tests/test_conversions.py b/tests/test_conversions.py
index da78649..1e685f3 100644
--- a/tests/test_conversions.py
+++ b/tests/test_conversions.py
@@ -52,6 +52,12 @@ def test_b_spaces():
 
 def test_blockquote():
     assert md('<blockquote>Hello</blockquote>') == '\n> Hello\n\n'
+    assert md('<blockquote>\nHello\n</blockquote>') == '\n> Hello\n\n'
+
+
+def test_blockquote_with_nested_paragraph():
+    assert md('<blockquote><p>Hello</p></blockquote>') == '\n> Hello\n\n'
+    assert md('<blockquote><p>Hello</p><p>Hello again</p></blockquote>') == '\n> Hello\n> \n> Hello again\n\n'
 
 
 def test_blockquote_with_paragraph():
@@ -60,7 +66,7 @@ def test_blockquote_with_paragraph():
 
 def test_blockquote_nested():
     text = md('<blockquote>And she was like <blockquote>Hello</blockquote></blockquote>')
-    assert text == '\n> And she was like \n> > Hello\n> \n> \n\n'
+    assert text == '\n> And she was like \n> > Hello\n\n'
 
 
 def test_br():
@@ -68,9 +74,19 @@ def test_br():
     assert md('a<br />b<br />c', newline_style=BACKSLASH) == 'a\\\nb\\\nc'
 
 
+def test_caption():
+    assert md('TEXT<figure><figcaption>Caption</figcaption><span>SPAN</span></figure>') == 'TEXT\n\nCaption\n\nSPAN'
+    assert md('<figure><span>SPAN</span><figcaption>Caption</figcaption></figure>TEXT') == 'SPAN\n\nCaption\n\nTEXT'
+
+
 def test_code():
     inline_tests('code', '`')
-    assert md('<code>this_should_not_escape</code>') == '`this_should_not_escape`'
+    assert md('<code>*this_should_not_escape*</code>') == '`*this_should_not_escape*`'
+    assert md('<kbd>*this_should_not_escape*</kbd>') == '`*this_should_not_escape*`'
+    assert md('<samp>*this_should_not_escape*</samp>') == '`*this_should_not_escape*`'
+    assert md('<code><span>*this_should_not_escape*</span></code>') == '`*this_should_not_escape*`'
+    assert md('<code>this  should\t\tnormalize</code>') == '`this should normalize`'
+    assert md('<code><span>this  should\t\tnormalize</span></code>') == '`this should normalize`'
 
 
 def test_del():
@@ -85,6 +101,14 @@ def test_em():
     inline_tests('em', '*')
 
 
+def test_header_with_space():
+    assert md('<h3>\n\nHello</h3>') == '### Hello\n\n'
+    assert md('<h4>\n\nHello</h4>') == '#### Hello\n\n'
+    assert md('<h5>\n\nHello</h5>') == '##### Hello\n\n'
+    assert md('<h5>\n\nHello\n\n</h5>') == '##### Hello\n\n'
+    assert md('<h5>\n\nHello   \n\n</h5>') == '##### Hello\n\n'
+
+
 def test_h1():
     assert md('<h1>Hello</h1>') == 'Hello\n=====\n\n'
 
@@ -187,7 +211,18 @@ def test_p():
 def test_pre():
     assert md('<pre>test\n    foo\nbar</pre>') == '\n```\ntest\n    foo\nbar\n```\n'
     assert md('<pre><code>test\n    foo\nbar</code></pre>') == '\n```\ntest\n    foo\nbar\n```\n'
-    assert md('<pre>this_should_not_escape</pre>') == '\n```\nthis_should_not_escape\n```\n'
+    assert md('<pre>*this_should_not_escape*</pre>') == '\n```\n*this_should_not_escape*\n```\n'
+    assert md('<pre><span>*this_should_not_escape*</span></pre>') == '\n```\n*this_should_not_escape*\n```\n'
+    assert md('<pre>\t\tthis  should\t\tnot  normalize</pre>') == '\n```\n\t\tthis  should\t\tnot  normalize\n```\n'
+    assert md('<pre><span>\t\tthis  should\t\tnot  normalize</span></pre>') == '\n```\n\t\tthis  should\t\tnot  normalize\n```\n'
+
+
+def test_script():
+    assert md('foo <script>var foo=42;</script> bar') == 'foo  bar'
+
+
+def test_style():
+    assert md('foo <style>h1 { font-size: larger }</style> bar') == 'foo  bar'
 
 
 def test_s():
diff --git a/tests/test_tables.py b/tests/test_tables.py
index e0c07ea..9120c29 100644
--- a/tests/test_tables.py
+++ b/tests/test_tables.py
@@ -57,6 +57,26 @@ table_with_paragraphs = """<table>
     </tr>
 </table>"""
 
+table_with_linebreaks = """<table>
+    <tr>
+        <th>Firstname</th>
+        <th>Lastname</th>
+        <th>Age</th>
+    </tr>
+    <tr>
+        <td>Jill</td>
+        <td>Smith
+        Jackson</td>
+        <td>50</td>
+    </tr>
+    <tr>
+        <td>Eve</td>
+        <td>Jackson
+        Smith</td>
+        <td>94</td>
+    </tr>
+</table>"""
+
 
 table_with_header_column = """<table>
     <tr>
@@ -99,6 +119,28 @@ table_head_body = """<table>
     </tbody>
 </table>"""
 
+table_head_body_missing_head = """<table>
+    <thead>
+        <tr>
+            <td>Firstname</td>
+            <td>Lastname</td>
+            <td>Age</td>
+        </tr>
+    </thead>
+    <tbody>
+        <tr>
+            <td>Jill</td>
+            <td>Smith</td>
+            <td>50</td>
+        </tr>
+        <tr>
+            <td>Eve</td>
+            <td>Jackson</td>
+            <td>94</td>
+        </tr>
+    </tbody>
+</table>"""
+
 table_missing_text = """<table>
     <thead>
         <tr>
@@ -159,13 +201,42 @@ table_body = """<table>
     </tbody>
 </table>"""
 
+table_with_caption = """TEXT<table><caption>Caption</caption>
+    <tbody><tr><td>Firstname</td>
+            <td>Lastname</td>
+            <td>Age</td>
+        </tr>
+    </tbody>
+</table>"""
+
+table_with_colspan = """<table>
+    <tr>
+        <th colspan="2">Name</th>
+        <th>Age</th>
+    </tr>
+    <tr>
+        <td>Jill</td>
+        <td>Smith</td>
+        <td>50</td>
+    </tr>
+    <tr>
+        <td>Eve</td>
+        <td>Jackson</td>
+        <td>94</td>
+    </tr>
+</table>"""
+
 
 def test_table():
     assert md(table) == '\n\n| Firstname | Lastname | Age |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Jill | Smith | 50 |\n| Eve | Jackson | 94 |\n\n'
     assert md(table_with_html_content) == '\n\n| Firstname | Lastname | Age |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| **Jill** | *Smith* | [50](#) |\n| Eve | Jackson | 94 |\n\n'
     assert md(table_with_paragraphs) == '\n\n| Firstname | Lastname | Age |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Jill | Smith | 50 |\n| Eve | Jackson | 94 |\n\n'
+    assert md(table_with_linebreaks) == '\n\n| Firstname | Lastname | Age |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Jill | Smith  Jackson | 50 |\n| Eve | Jackson  Smith | 94 |\n\n'
     assert md(table_with_header_column) == '\n\n| Firstname | Lastname | Age |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Jill | Smith | 50 |\n| Eve | Jackson | 94 |\n\n'
     assert md(table_head_body) == '\n\n| Firstname | Lastname | Age |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Jill | Smith | 50 |\n| Eve | Jackson | 94 |\n\n'
+    assert md(table_head_body_missing_head) == '\n\n| Firstname | Lastname | Age |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Jill | Smith | 50 |\n| Eve | Jackson | 94 |\n\n'
     assert md(table_missing_text) == '\n\n|  | Lastname | Age |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Jill |  | 50 |\n| Eve | Jackson | 94 |\n\n'
-    assert md(table_missing_head) == '\n\n|  |  |  |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Firstname | Lastname | Age |\n| Jill | Smith | 50 |\n| Eve | Jackson | 94 |\n\n'
-    assert md(table_body) == '\n\n|  |  |  |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Firstname | Lastname | Age |\n| Jill | Smith | 50 |\n| Eve | Jackson | 94 |\n\n'
+    assert md(table_missing_head) == '\n\n| Firstname | Lastname | Age |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Jill | Smith | 50 |\n| Eve | Jackson | 94 |\n\n'
+    assert md(table_body) == '\n\n| Firstname | Lastname | Age |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Jill | Smith | 50 |\n| Eve | Jackson | 94 |\n\n'
+    assert md(table_with_caption) == 'TEXT\n\nCaption\n| Firstname | Lastname | Age |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n\n'
+    assert md(table_with_colspan) == '\n\n| Name | | Age |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Jill | Smith | 50 |\n| Eve | Jackson | 94 |\n\n'