Book excerpt: When the mysterious foreign shipbuilder comes to town, even the wildest imaginations of the locals cannot conjure up the consequences . . . The Legend of Peter Borka book tells the story of English-speaking travelers who develop peculiar notions about a "Russian god" based on their misunderstanding a spoken Russian word. They travel around the world, learning about new religions and cultures and elaborating their false "Russian" religion into a cultural monstrosity, as they accumulate a dizzying array of contradictory beliefs and elaborate rituals. Elements of major world religions, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism, as well as myth-based religions from Greece, Rome, Norway, and North America, appear in the beliefs and worship surrounding Peter Borka. A dialectical tension emerges between the fledgling Peter Borka religion and ideas from ethical humanism, rational humanism, and Communism. The book contains a surprising ending with a unique moral. The Legend of Peter Borka is a teaching story for youth and adults alike. As a fictional work, it concerns the origins (ontology) of religion and myth, the nature of logic and reason, and the difference between reality and fantasy. At the core is a fundamental question: How is information obtained? What is truly real? What really matters? The Legend of Peter Borka challenges the reader to think with new depth and breadth about the world and the humans who live in it. As a teaching piece, "The Legend of Peter Borka" contains rich academic themes pertaining to culture, history, religion, philosophy, psychology, and law. It also contains a geographic puzzle regarding the travel itinerary of the participants. It is appropriate for school-age children, as well as university-level classes and adults.