The Calvin 500 is not a NASCAR event. But it has brought a new harvest of books by and about Calvin. Though the Calvin lover relishes this feast, others may feel lost. After you blow out the five hundred candles, where should you begin? What are some of Calvin's key writings and what are the best books to read about him? Here is a brief guide for getting started.

Calvin was an extremely prolific writer. His Latin writings fill 59 large volumes in the collection Corpus Reformatorum. Many of these have been translated into English and some have gone through numerous editions. But the Institutes and his commentaries are only a portion of Calvin's work. He penned hundreds of sermons, letters, and treatises.

To keep from being overwhelmed, one might begin by reading Calvin in small doses. 365 Days with Calvin, edited by Joel R. Beeke (2008), provides selected readings from his sermons and commentaries. Calvin's Wisdom: An Anthology Arranged Alphabetically (1992), provides us with select quotations. Devotional books tap into the marrow of Calvin's spirituality such as Heart Aflame: Daily Readings from Calvin on the Psalms (1999), or Thine Is My Heart (2006). An older volume by Dillenberger, John Calvin: Selections from His Writings (1971) provides a nice anthology.