By Box Brown

Elevator pitch: Long before Candy Crush diabolically distracted us, humans turned to ancient Egyptian board games, 19th-century Japanese card games and, of course, Tetris. The classic moving-block game was created in 1984 by Soviet software developer Alexey Pajitnov in his free time. This graphic novel relays a history of games, as told through Mr. Pajitnov’s love of puzzles and the spread of his invention through Moscow and beyond.

Very brief excerpt: “The idea of selling the game as a product never even crossed his mind. Russia was a communist country in 1985…It was possible that Alexey could even have been arrested and jailed for attempting to sell Tetris.”

Surprising factoid: A game focused on fitting uniquely shaped wooden blocks into a box, called Pentominoes, served as inspiration for Mr. Pajitnov. Later, he called the four-square blocks of Tetris tetraminoes. The name Tetris is a hybrid of the words “tetra” and “tennis.”

‘Your Cabin in the Woods’ Photo: F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal

Your Cabin in the Woods

By Conrad E. Meinecke

Elevator pitch: Seekers of the simple life, look no further than the writings of the late Conrad Meinecke, cabin-builder extraordinaire. A compilation of previously published works, “Your Cabin in the Woods” outlines practical how-tos, from stocking up on the proper tools and laying a good foundation to serving the best campfire snacks.

Very brief excerpt: “What could be more discouraging than to arrive at your winter cabin after a long hike, cold and a bit wet, to find you have forgotten the key? Here is a cure for that human weakness, or at least protection against it—a trick door lock. Pull a leather thong, push a slide, lift a latch, and—presto—the door opens! Work out your own combination.”

Surprising factoid: Bunk beds can double as guest seating. When building your upper bunk, set it on a hinge—that way, it can be brought down against the wall to serve as the backrest of a couch, with the lower bunk creating the seat.

‘Overview’ Photo: F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal

Overview

By Benjamin Grant

Elevator pitch: Stitching together more than 200 high-resolution satellite photographs of earth, Benjamin Grant creates images that turn mountains into lint and airplanes into tiny stars. Grouping the scenes by theme, such as “Where We Live” (Florida’s lattice-shaped residential developments) and “Where We Waste” (Seoul’s Sudokwon Landfill), “Overview” documents the impact of human existence.

Very brief excerpt: “A red mud pond is visible in Darrow, Louisiana, USA. Approximately 77 million tons of red mud, also known as red sludge, is generated every year due to the industrial production of aluminum around the world.”

Surprising factoid: The deepest lake in the U.S., Crater Lake in Fort Klamath, Ore., was formed by the collapse of a volcano 7,700 years ago. No rivers flow in or out of its 1,943-foot depths; rain and snowfall make up for seasonal evaporation.