| 2021 | Mothers, Fathers, and Others | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2020 | Memories of the Future | Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Fiction | |
| 2017 | A Woman Looking at Men Looking at Women: Essays on Art, Sex, and the Mind | PEN America Literary Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay | |
| 2016 | The Blazing World | Dublin Literary Award source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Fiction | |
| 2016 | A Woman Looking at Men Looking at Women | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2014 | The Blazing World | Los Angeles Times Book Prizes source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Winner · Fiction | |
| 2014 | The Blazing World | Kirkus Prize source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Fiction | |
| 2014 | The Blazing World | Booker Prize source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Fiction | |
| 2014 | The Blazing World: A Novel | NPR Books We Love source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books We Love | |
| 2014 | The Blazing World | The Boston Globe Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2014 | The Blazing World | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2014 | The Blazing World | Publishers Weekly Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2014 | The Blazing World | New York Times 100 Notable Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction & Poetry | |
| 2014 | The Blazing World | Washington Post Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Notable Fiction | |
| 2013 | The Summer Without Men | Dublin Literary Award source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Fiction | |
| 2012 | Living, Thinking, Looking | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2011 | The Summer without Men | The Irish Times Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books of the Year | |
| 2010 | The Sorrows of an American | Dublin Literary Award source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Fiction | |