| 2020 | The Man in the Red Coat | Costa Book Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Shortlist · Biography | |
| 2020 | The Only Story | Dublin Literary Award source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Fiction | |
| 2019 | The Man in the Red Coat | Financial Times Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Literary non-fiction | |
| 2018 | The Noise of Time | Dublin Literary Award source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Fiction | |
| 2018 | The Only Story | Financial Times Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2017 | The Noise of Time | Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Historical Fiction | |
| 2016 | The Noise of Time | The Telegraph Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2016 | The Noise of Time | The Observer Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2016 | The Noise of Time | Financial Times Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2016 | The Noise of Time | The Guardian Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2015 | Keeping an Eye Open | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2013 | Levels of Life | Waterstones Book of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Shortlist · Book of the Year | |
| 2013 | The Sense of an Ending | Dublin Literary Award source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Fiction | |
| 2013 | Levels Of Life | NPR Books We Love source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books We Love | |
| 2013 | Levels of Life | The Irish Times Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books of the Year | |
| 2013 | Levels of Life | The Globe and Mail Globe 100 source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Non-Fiction | |
| 2012 | The Sense of an Ending | Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Fiction | |
| 2011 | The Sense of an Ending | Booker Prize source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Winner · Fiction | |
| 2011 | The Sense of an Ending | Costa Book Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Shortlist · Novel | |
| 2011 | The Sense of an Ending | Goodreads Choice Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Nominee · Fiction | |
| 2011 | The Sense of an Ending | The Irish Times Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books of the Year | |
| 2011 | The Sense of an Ending | The Boston Globe Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2011 | The Sense of an Ending | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2011 | The Sense of an Ending | The Guardian Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2011 | The Sense of an Ending | Entertainment Weekly Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2011 | The Sense of an Ending | New York Times 100 Notable Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction & Poetry | |
| 2011 | The Sense of an Ending | Washington Post Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Notable Fiction | |
| 2011 | The Sense of an Ending | Amazon Editors' Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Top 100 | |
| 2008 | Nothing to be Frightened Of | Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Non-Fiction | |
| 2008 | Nothing to Be Frightened Of | The Globe and Mail Globe 100 source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Non-Fiction | |
| 2008 | Nothing to Be Frightened Of | New York Times 10 Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2008 | Nothing to Be Frightened Of | New York Times 100 Notable Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2008 | Nothing to Be Frightened Of | Publishers Weekly Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2008 | Nothing to be Frightened Of | Washington Post Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Notable Nonfiction | |
| 2007 | Arthur & George | Dublin Literary Award source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Shortlist · Fiction | |
| 2006 | Arthur & George | British Book Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Shortlist · Richard & Judy Best Read of the Year | |
| 2006 | Arthur and George | New York Times 100 Notable Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction & Poetry | |
| 2006 | Arthur & George | Washington Post Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Notable Fiction | |