| 2024 | King: A Life | Pulitzer Prize (Biography and History) source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Winner · Biography | |
| 2023 | King: A Life | National Book Critics Circle Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Biography | |
| 2023 | King: A Life | National Book Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Nonfiction | |
| 2023 | King | Goodreads Choice Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Nominee · History & Biography | |
| 2023 | King: A Life | Washington Post Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · 10 Best Books | |
| 2023 | King: A Life | TIME Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · 100 Must-Read | |
| 2023 | King: A Life | Chicago Tribune Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2023 | King: A Life | Library Journal Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Biography & Memoir | |
| 2023 | King | The Economist Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Biography and memoir | |
| 2023 | King: A Life | NPR Books We Love source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books We Love | |
| 2023 | King: A Life | The New Yorker Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Essential Reads | |
| 2023 | King: A Life | Barack Obama's Favorite Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Favorite Books | |
| 2023 | King: A Life | Smithsonian Magazine Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · History | |
| 2023 | King: A Life | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Must-Read Books: Biography & Memoir | |
| 2023 | King | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2023 | King | New York Times 100 Notable Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2023 | King: A Life | BookPage Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2023 | King: A Life | The Boston Globe Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2023 | King: A Life | Publishers Weekly Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2023 | King: A Life | TIME Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2023 | King: A Life | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Our Favorite Books | |
| 2023 | King: A Life | Barack Obama's Favorite Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Summer Reading | |
| 2023 | King: A Life | Amazon Editors' Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Top 10 | |
| 2018 | Ali | New York Times 100 Notable Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2017 | Ali: A Life | Los Angeles Times Book Prizes source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Biography | |
| 2017 | Ali: A Life | James Tait Black Prizes source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Shortlist · Biography | |
| 2017 | Ali: A Life | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2017 | Ali | The Telegraph Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2017 | Ali: A Life | The Economist Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Biography and memoir | |
| 2017 | Ali: A Life | NPR Books We Love source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books We Love | |
| 2017 | Ali | Smithsonian Magazine Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · History | |
| 2017 | Ali | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2017 | Ali: A Life | Washington Post Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Notable Nonfiction | |
| 2015 | The Birth of the Pill: How Four Crusaders Reinvented Sex and Launched a Revolution | Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Nonfiction | |
| 2014 | The Birth of the Pill: How Four Crusaders Reinvented Sex and Launched a Revolution | Booklist Editors' Choice source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Adult Books: Health & Medicine | |
| 2014 | The Birth of the Pill: How Four Crusaders Reinvented Sex and Launched A Revolution | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books: More Nonfiction | |
| 2014 | The Birth of the Pill: How Four Crusaders Reinvented Sex and Launched a Revolution | Washington Post Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Notable Nonfiction | |
| 2010 | Get Capone: The Secret Plot That Captured America's Most Wanted Gangster | Dashiell Hammett Prize source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Nominee · Hammett Prize | |
| 2007 | Opening Day | Washington Post Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Notable Nonfiction | |