| 2020 | Three Rings | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2017 | An Odyssey: A Father, a Son and an Epic | Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Shortlist · Non-Fiction | |
| 2017 | An Odyssey: A Father, a Son, and an Epic | Library Journal Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Biography & Memoir | |
| 2017 | An Odyssey: A Father, a Son and an Epic | The Guardian Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Biography and memoir | |
| 2017 | An Odyssey: A Father, A Son, And An Epic | NPR Books We Love source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books We Love | |
| 2017 | An Odyssey | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2013 | Waiting for the Barbarians: Essays from the Classics to Pop Culture | PEN America Literary Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay | |
| 2012 | Waiting for the Barbarians: Essays from the Classics to Pop Culture | National Book Critics Circle Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Criticism | |
| 2012 | Waiting for the Barbarians | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2009 | The Collected Poems of C.P. Cavafy | Publishers Weekly Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Poetry | |
| 2008 | How Beautiful It Is and How Easily It Can Be Broken | Publishers Weekly Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2006 | The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million | National Book Critics Circle Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Winner · Autobiography | |
| 2006 | The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million | National Jewish Book Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Winner · Biography and Autobiography | |
| 2006 | The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million | Los Angeles Times Book Prizes source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Biography | |
| 2006 | The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million | The Globe and Mail Globe 100 source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Non-Fiction | |
| 2006 | The Lost | The Boston Globe Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2006 | The Lost | New York Times 100 Notable Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2006 | The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million | Los Angeles Times Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2006 | The Lost | Entertainment Weekly Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2006 | The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million | Washington Post Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Notable Nonfiction | |