| 2022 | River of the Gods | Goodreads Choice Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Nominee · History & Biography | |
| 2022 | River of the Gods: Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile | NPR Books We Love source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books We Love | |
| 2022 | River of the Gods | Smithsonian Magazine Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · History | |
| 2022 | River of the Gods | BookPage Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2022 | River of the Gods: Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile | Washington Post Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Notable Nonfiction | |
| 2016 | Hero of the Empire | Goodreads Choice Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Nominee · History & Biography | |
| 2016 | Hero of the Empire | BookPage Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2016 | Hero Of The Empire: The Boer War, A Daring Escape And The Making Of Winston Churchill | NPR Books We Love source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books We Love | |
| 2016 | Hero of the Empire | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2016 | Hero of the Empire | New York Times 100 Notable Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2016 | Hero of the Empire: The Boer War, a Daring Escape and the Making of Winston Churchill | Washington Post Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Notable Nonfiction | |
| 2012 | Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President | Edgar Allan Poe Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Winner · Best Fact Crime | |
| 2012 | Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine, and the Murder of a President | Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Nonfiction | |
| 2011 | Destiny of the Republic | Goodreads Choice Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Nominee · History & Biography | |
| 2011 | The Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine, and the Murder of a President | Booklist Editors' Choice source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Adult Books: Biography | |
| 2011 | Destiny of the Republic | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2011 | Destiny of the Republic | New York Times 100 Notable Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2011 | Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President | The Boston Globe Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2011 | Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President | Washington Post Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Notable Nonfiction | |
| 2011 | Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President | Amazon Editors' Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Top 100 | |