Life & fun · alternatives · 2026

24 alternatives to Mr. Smith Goes to Prison

A year behind bars taught me about America's prison crisis

Below are 24 products that do a similar job, ranked by how close each is in meaning and then by launch-day votes. Mr. Smith Goes to Prison launched in 2016; newer entries below may have overtaken it.

1. 1
   The Thinker▲61

   How I escaped my prison

   2016 · its alternatives →

2. 2
   Writing My Wrongs▲5

   Life, Death, and Redemption in an American Prison

   2017 · its alternatives →

3. 3
   Just Mercy▲55

   A story of justice and redemption

   2015 · its alternatives →

4. 4
   Andy Grove▲76

   The life and times of an American

   2015 · its alternatives →

5. 5
   Future Crimes▲64

   Inside the Digital Underground

   2017 · its alternatives →

6. 6
   TGIM - Business Lessons from Prison▲76

   For people who can’t wait for the week to *start*.

   2016 · its alternatives →

7. 7
   Eileen: A Novel▲55

   Woman working in a boy's prison is pulled into a crime

   2015 · its alternatives →

8. 8SO
   SlaveryStories.org – Memoirs from American Slaves▲178

   2014 · slaverystories.org · its alternatives →

9. 9
   Thug Kitchen▲73

   Eat like you give a f*ck

   2015 · its alternatives →

10. 10
    When To Rob a Bank▲165

    New book from the authors of Freakonomics

    2015 · its alternatives →

11. 11
    The End of Mr. Y▲53

    A conscious tale of time-travel on a different scale.

    2016 · its alternatives →

12. 12
    Future Crimes▲89

    How to protect yourself from digital criminals

    2015 · its alternatives →

13. 13
    If You Feel Too Much▲66

    Thoughts on things found and lost and hoped for

    2015 · its alternatives →

14. 14
    The Folded Clock▲70

    Diary of a modern writer

    2016 · its alternatives →

15. 15
    Ghettoside▲58

    A true story of murder in America

    2016 · its alternatives →

16. 16
    The Vanishers▲68

    Power struggle between student and mentor

    2016 · its alternatives →

17. 17
    Look Me in the Eye▲58

    My Life with Asperger's

    2016 · its alternatives →

18. 18
    Madness, Rack, and Honey▲61

    A book for anyone interested in the human heart

    2016 · its alternatives →

19. 19
    How We Learn▲64

    The surprising truth about when, where, and why it happens

    2016 · its alternatives →

20. 20
    The Undoing Project▲72

    A friendship that changed our minds

    2016 · its alternatives →

21. 21
    The End of Jobs▲98

    Money, meaning and freedom without the 9-to-5

    2016 · its alternatives →

22. 22
    Shantaram▲82

    Bank robber & heroin addict escapes jail and flees to India

    2015 · its alternatives →

23. 23
    Performing Under Pressure▲61

    The science of doing your best when it matters most

    2016 · its alternatives →

24. 24
    Who Moved My Cheese?▲62

    An amazing way to deal with change in your work and life

    2016 · its alternatives →

Ranked by how close each launch is in meaning, then by votes. Prices were read from each product’s own site when checked and can change. Refine with your own description →