The Patrol Frigate Story: The Tacoma-Class Frigates in World War II and the Korean War, 1943-1953

By David Hendrickson (Fortis Publishing)

The blurb: During World War II, the author's Navy ship endured a 14-month tour of duty in the Bering Sea, patrolling, escorting and emergency steaming to ships in distress.

Excerpt: "Even dismal, unknown to the Gods, Attu, lost somewhere west of the 180th Meridian, snug in an arbitrary bend in the International Date Line that allows the same calendar day as all of North America, was a welcome 'any port in a storm' to the battered frigate sailors. For now it was Christmas Eve. The two frigates moored to either side of West navy Pier in snow-sodden Massacre Bay, and gratitude not spurned, both crews celebrated Christmas dinner on an even keel. Albuquerque made for Adak on the 27th escorting Schurz for a quick turnaround while Tacoma readied to relieve Pasco on Guard Ship Station off the Komandorskis. Moored to repair ship Black Hawk in Sweeper Cove, Adak, a dead silence unbroken by not a single whistle blast greeted a handful of Albuquerque sailors foolish enough to huddle in an icy wind on the leeward side of the stack to welcome 1945."

3 Steps to Your Best Body in Record Time

By Ginny Grupp, et al. (Celebrity Press, $19.95)

The blurb: Personal trainer Ginny Grupp launched AlaskaFit in 2005, then started the AlaskaFit Boot Camps in 2009.

Excerpt: "Anyone can follow a diet and exercise program. There are literally thousands to choose from. And doing a Google search for diet and exercise turns up literally millions of options. And they all have one thing in common. Each and every diet, exercise and weight-lose program out there gives you exactly what you ask it for -- short-term, immediate results. However, they do not help you to maintain long-term results. Often the entire book is about the plan and there is no information whatsoever about how to transition from 'the plan' back into real life. They never tell you what to do once you've completed the plan. They do not help you to get back into your life. They are slapping a band-aid on your problems by helping you to feel good for a few weeks."

Leonie: A Woman Ahead of Her Time

By Leonie von Zesch (Lime Orchard Publications, $19.95)

The blurb: Leonie von Zesch became a dental surgeon in 1902 and practiced in California, Texas and Arizona. She later became the first female dentist in Alaska, where she lived for 15 years. This posthumous book includes her details of those travels, including a 1924 tour of the Middle East and Europe.

Excerpt: " 'Does it still come up to expectations?' Captain Glasscock's tone indicated that he knew I was as much impressed by his beloved Alaska as he had hoped me to be.

" 'It's lovely! Every mile has been lovelier than the one before. And I had expected a lot.'

"The Captain's head and shoulders were framed by the pilothouse window. I stood in front, leaning against the top-deck rail of his ship, the Steamer Admiral Evans. The time was Christmas day of 1915. We had left Prince William Sound behind us and were approaching my destination, Cordova."

-- Compiled by Matt Sullivan, Anchorage Daily News