| 2022 | We Don't Know Ourselves | The Atlantic Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2022 | We Don't Know Ourselves: A Personal History of Modern Ireland | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2022 | We Don’t Know Ourselves | The New Yorker Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Essential Reads | |
| 2022 | We Don't Know Ourselves | New York Times 10 Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2022 | We Don’t Know Ourselves | New York Times 100 Notable Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2022 | We Don’t Know Ourselves: A Personal History of Modern Ireland | Washington Post Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Notable Nonfiction | |
| 2021 | We Don't Know Ourselves | The Irish Times Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books of the Year | |
| 2017 | Judging Shaw | The Irish Times Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Irish non-fiction | |
| 2013 | A History of Ireland in 100 Objects | The Irish Times Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books of the Year | |
| 2011 | Enough is Enough: How to Build a New Republic | The Orwell Prize (book prizes) source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Book | |
| 2010 | Ship of Fools: How Corruption and Stupidity Killed the Celtic Tiger | The Orwell Prize (book prizes) source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Book | |
| 2010 | Enough Is Enough | The Irish Times Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books of the Year | |