Do not go outside. You will die. Use this time to read the physical books you looted (you literally hold right-click to "read" them). Sort your inventory.
Items had to be manually arranged in a crafting grid pattern.
Mods for early Alphas like 1.1 are harder to come by, but they exist in community archives. Many modders who were active in 2013 and 2014 have moved on, but their work can sometimes be found on forums like the official 7 Days to Die Modding section or other game communities that host old files.
: Lasted over 10 years, characterized by frequent "wipes" and massive mechanical overhauls.
There is no in-game recipe book to guide you. You must manually place wood, stone, and iron into the correct grid shapes to build axes, clubs, and frames.