Life & fun · alternatives · 2026

24 alternatives to The Violinist's Thumb

Unraveling the double helix

Below are 24 products that do a similar job, ranked by how close each is in meaning and then by launch-day votes. The Violinist's Thumb launched in 2016; newer entries below may have overtaken it.

1. 1
   Stiff▲62

   The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers

   2016 · its alternatives →

2. 2
   String Theory▲70

   A collection of David Foster Wallace’s best essays on tennis

   2016 · its alternatives →

3. 3
   The Quantum Labyrinth▲67

   Life and work of two of our most eminent physicists

   2017 · its alternatives →

4. 4
   Iconoclast▲60

   A neuroscientist reveals how to think differently

   2016 · its alternatives →

5. 5
   Reaching Down the Rabbit Hole▲67

   Extraordinary journeys into the human brain

   2016 · its alternatives →

6. 6
   The Unsplash Book▲107

   The world's first 'fully' open source book

   2015 · its alternatives →

7. 7
   Lateral Thinking▲74

   Practical explanation of how creativity works

   2016 · its alternatives →

8. 8
   Understanding Media▲70

   The Extensions of Man

   2016 · its alternatives →

9. 9
   Third Circle Theory▲62

   Purpose Through Observation

   2016 · its alternatives →

10. 10
    10:04▲65

    Metafiction by a genius grant winner

    2016 · its alternatives →

11. 11
    Take Off With Elixir▲61

    An Introduction to Elixir

    2016 · its alternatives →

12. 12
    Sapiens▲185

    A brief history of humankind

    2015 · its alternatives →

13. 13
    Tools for Thought▲69

    The history and future of mind-expanding technology

    2016 · its alternatives →

14. 14
    Drawing On Our History▲60

    An anatomical view of the world I was born into.

    2016 · its alternatives →

15. 15
    Little Bets▲89

    How breakthrough ideas emerge from small discoveries

    2015 · its alternatives →

16. 16RD
    Richard Dawkins’ Biomorphs Implemented in JavaScript▲117

    2014 · emergentmind.com · its alternatives →

17. 17ST
    Sublime Text Book▲163

    2014 · sublimetextbook.com · its alternatives →

18. 18
    Ungifted▲63

    Intelligence redefined

    2016 · its alternatives →

19. 19
    The Distracted Mind▲72

    Ancient brains in a high-tech world

    2016 · its alternatives →

20. 20
    Light▲58

    A Radiant History from Creation to the Quantum Age

    2016 · its alternatives →

21. 21
    Essentialism▲80

    The Disciplined Pursuit of Less

    2016 · its alternatives →

22. 22
    Dark Matter of the Mind▲67

    The Culturally Articulated Unconscious

    2017 · its alternatives →

23. 23
    The Gene▲64

    An Intimate History

    2016 · its alternatives →

24. 24
    Blinkist - 1: Is That Even a Thing?▲68

    A digest of four books about brains

    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 →