| 2008 | The World Is What It Is: The Authorized Biography of V.S. Naipaul | National Book Critics Circle Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Winner · Biography | |
| 2008 | The World Is What It Is: The Authorised Biography of VS Naipaul | Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Shortlist · Non-Fiction | |
| 2008 | The World Is What It Is | Vulture / New York Magazine Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2008 | The World Is What It Is: The Authorised Biography of V.S. Naipaul | The Economist Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Biography and memoir | |
| 2008 | The World is What it is: The Authorized Biography of V. S. Naipaul | The Globe and Mail Globe 100 source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Non-Fiction | |
| 2008 | The World Is What It Is | New York Times 10 Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2008 | The World Is What It Is | New York Times 100 Notable Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2008 | The World Is What It Is: The Authorized Biography of V.S. Naipaul | Los Angeles Times Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2008 | The World Is What It Is | TIME Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2008 | The World Is What It Is | Washington Post Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Notable Nonfiction | |