| 2025 | Notes to John | NPR Books We Love source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books We Love | |
| 2021 | Let Me Tell You What I Mean | Esquire Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2021 | Let Me Tell You What I Mean | Vogue Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2021 | Let Me Tell You What I Mean | NPR Books We Love source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books We Love | |
| 2021 | Let Me Tell You What I Mean | New York Times 100 Notable Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2017 | South And West: From A Notebook | NPR Books We Love source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books We Love | |
| 2011 | Blue Nights | BookPage Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2011 | Blue Nights | The Economist Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Biography and memoir | |
| 2011 | Blue Nights | The Globe and Mail Globe 100 source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Non-Fiction | |
| 2011 | Blue Nights | The Boston Globe Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2011 | Blue Nights | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2011 | Blue Nights | New York Times 100 Notable Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2011 | Blue Nights | Publishers Weekly Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2011 | Blue Nights | TIME Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2011 | Blue Nights | Washington Post Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Notable Nonfiction | |
| 2011 | Blue Nights | Amazon Editors' Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Top 100 | |
| 2006 | The Year of Magical Thinking | Pulitzer Prize (Biography and History) source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Biography or Autobiography | |