During a recent stay at an inn in a Hudson river town, I was delighted to see among the Victorian décor in our room this miniature album.

It shows the wear and tear of a much used book. The spine covering is gone and the pages for the most part have separated from each other as well as the covers. A corner, having lost its covering, is vulnerable to further damage - a condition I've seen and treated at the Met. Even so the book continues to do its job of protecting and presenting the tiny photographs.

When I learned about the recent resurfacing of the lost Gospel of Judas the bookbinder and conservator in me snapped to attention. Everything about this story fascinates me: the journey of the physical object (including its recent near-destruction from mishandling due to greed and subsequent rescue by conservators), the politics and intrigue surrounding its recent history, and not least, the implications of the contents of the codex (which also includes copies of previously known documents).

This one book sheds much light on our understanding of early Christianity and also the lamentable thread of antisemitism throughout history. The true meaning of the gospel is sure to be debated for decades to come. It all reminds me why I do what I do: the awesome power of a book.