The first 25 years of the 21st century have been about as relaxing as a rollercoaster ride (one where you don’t have that much fun but you do get whiplash!). From global conflicts to polarizing elections to a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, we’ve been through a quarter-century of “unprecedented events.” And we’ve watched them unfold in a relentless news and social media cycle that has forever altered the way we understand and connect with one another.

Despite all the goings-on, we still managed to buy a lot of books — over a billion a year in the U.S., according to one estimate .

At 99designs, we love exploring how key political and social moments throughout history affect graphic design and broader visual culture, including book covers.…