From Feb. 22, 2013: This being a maritime community, the Ear is always on the alert for pertinent books. A good one is “How to Avoid Huge Ships,” by Capt. John W. Trimmer.

New copies of the book are now selling for $598 (honest), and used for $99.69, on Amazon.com (http://tinyurl.com/avoidship). Pictured, the book’s cover and a reader’s illustration of an imaginary diagram.

One would think avoiding huge ships would be as simple as one book reviewer suggested: “This book could be summed up in three points. 1. Keep your eyes open 2. Lay off the booze 3. Repeat.”

Actually, the book is a serious primer on how pleasure boaters can avoid being flattened by a huge ship, but the more than 1,300 reviews on Amazon.com are a cackle-fest. Here’s an example:

“I’m very much scared of ships. I live over a hundred miles inland and at 6,000 feet elevation but one can never be too careful!” — R. McLaughlin

If you want a good chuckle, go read a few more.