Searching for Ganesha: Collecting Images of the Sweet-Loving, Elephant-Headed Hindu Deity Everybody Admires

Filled with countless gorgeous photos and interesting stories regarding Sochaczewski’s travels, Searching for Ganesha is a charming, unusual, read. Even readers who are unfamiliar with Ganesha will find the author's enthusiasm to be contagious. Rated 9.5 out of 10. —BookLife Prize\nAcross Asia, An Elephant-Headed God Flexes His Muscles…\nGanesha, the Hindu elephant-headed god, is among the most-appreciated of all deities. In this innovative book, Paul Spencer Sochaczewski: Explores why he collects Ganesha images, Examines the psychology of collecting, and Recounts enchanting, playful personal adventures in his 40-year quest for just one more (but it’s gotta be special) Ganesha statue.
He provides enough iconography to give the reader a grounding in Ganesha’s obstacle-removing prowess, but this is neither an academic nor a religious tome.\nMuseum-quality photographs of some 80 statues, carvings, and amulets from his 150-piece collection illustrate: How Hindu public relations experts retrofitted Ganesha into the Mahabharata, Under what circumstances benevolent Ganesha can be an aggressive crusader, Why he loves sweets, What inspiration Hindu branding experts took from nature, and Why his “vehicle” is a humble mouse.
“Be prepared to accompany Sochaczewski down any alley no matter where it leads, and you’ll be astonished by the bizarre facts you'll discover, by the fascinating people you’ll encounter, and by Ganesha in every shape, medium, and guise.” —Ron Graham, author, honorary trustee of Royal Ontario Museum, former president PEN Canada