| 2025 | Daughters of the Bamboo Grove: From China to America, a True Story of Abduction, Adoption, and Separated Twins | National Book Critics Circle Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Nonfiction | |
| 2025 | Daughters of the Bamboo Grove | Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Non-Fiction | |
| 2025 | Daughters of the Bamboo Grove | The New Yorker Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Also Recommended | |
| 2025 | Daughters of the Bamboo Grove: From China to America, a True Story of Abduction, Adoption, and Separated Twins | NPR Books We Love source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books We Love | |
| 2025 | Daughters of the Bamboo Grove | The Irish Times Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books of the Year | |
| 2025 | Daughters of the Bamboo Grove: From China to America, A True Story of Abduction, Adoption, and Separated Twins | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Must-Read Books: Biography & Memoir | |
| 2025 | Daughters of the Bamboo Grove | New York Times 100 Notable Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2025 | Daughters of the Bamboo Grove | The Economist Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Politics and current affairs | |
| 2021 | Eat the Buddha: Life and Death in a Tibetan Town | The Orwell Prize (book prizes) source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Shortlist · Political Writing | |
| 2021 | Eat the Buddha: Life and Death in a Tibetan Town | Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Nonfiction | |
| 2020 | Eat the Buddha | Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Non-Fiction | |
| 2020 | Eat the Buddha: Life and Death in A Tibetan Town | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2020 | Eat The Buddha: Life And Death In A Tibetan Town | NPR Books We Love source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books We Love | |
| 2020 | Eat the Buddha | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2020 | Eat the Buddha | New York Times 100 Notable Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2020 | Eat the Buddha: Life and Death in a Tibetan Town | Washington Post Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Notable Nonfiction | |
| 2020 | Eat the Buddha: The Story of Modern Tibet Through the People of One Town | Financial Times Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Politics | |
| 2020 | Eat the Buddha: Life and Death in a Tibetan Town | The Economist Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Politics and current affairs | |
| 2010 | Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea | Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Winner · Non-Fiction | |
| 2010 | Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea | National Book Critics Circle Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · General Nonfiction | |
| 2010 | Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea | National Book Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Nonfiction | |
| 2010 | Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea | Washington Post Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Notable Nonfiction | |
| 2010 | Nothing to Envy: Real Lives in North Korea | Financial Times Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Politics | |