| 2024 | A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan’s Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them | Anthony Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Winner · Best Critical/Nonfiction Work | |
| 2024 | A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to Take over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them | Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Nonfiction | |
| 2023 | A Fever in the Heartland | Goodreads Choice Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Nominee · History & Biography | |
| 2023 | A Fever in the Heartland | New York Public Library Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books for Adults | |
| 2023 | A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them | NPR Books We Love source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books We Love | |
| 2023 | A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Must-Read Books: Nonfiction | |
| 2023 | A Fever in the Heartland | BookPage Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2023 | A Fever in the Heartland | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2023 | A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan’s Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them | Washington Post Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Notable Nonfiction | |
| 2023 | A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Our Favorite Books | |
| 2023 | A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan’s Plot To Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them | Library Journal Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Social Sciences | |
| 2023 | A Fever in the Heartland | BookPage Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Top 10 | |
| 2020 | A Pilgrimage to Eternity | New York Times 100 Notable Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2019 | A Pilgrimage to Eternity | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2016 | The Immortal Irishman | Goodreads Choice Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Nominee · History & Biography | |
| 2013 | Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher: The Epic Life and Immortal Photographs of Edward Curtis | Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Winner · Nonfiction | |
| 2012 | Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher: The Epic Life and Immortal Photographs of Edward Curtis | Booklist Editors' Choice source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Adult Books: Biography | |
| 2012 | Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher | New York Times 100 Notable Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2012 | Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher: The Epic Life and Immortal Photographs of Edward Curtis | Publishers Weekly Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2012 | Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher: The Epic Life and Immortal Photographs of Edward Curtis | Amazon Editors' Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Top 100 | |
| 2009 | The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire That Saved America | Los Angeles Times Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2009 | The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire That Saved America | Entertainment Weekly Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2009 | The Big Burn | Washington Post Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Notable Nonfiction | |
| 2009 | The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America | Amazon Editors' Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Top 100 | |
| 2006 | The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl | National Book Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Winner · Nonfiction | |
| 2006 | The Worst Hard Time | The Boston Globe Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2006 | The Worst Hard Time | New York Times 100 Notable Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2006 | The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl | Los Angeles Times Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2006 | The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl | Washington Post Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Notable Nonfiction | |