These books were denounced, banned, cursed, no doubt burned and shredded-and last but not least, lost (and conveniently forgotten) for a thousand years. But with an uncanny persistence, the Book of Enoch found its way back into circulation two centuries ago.

In 1773, rumors of a surviving copy of the book drew Scottish explorer James Bruce to distant Ethiopia. True to hearsay, the Book of Enoch had been preserved by the Ethiopic church, which put it right alongside the other books of the Bible.

Fragments were also found in the caves at Qumran and the Bible mentions this book in more than one place. Once in the Book of Jude. This almost caused this book to be removed as well.