| 2024 | The Playbook | The New Yorker Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Also Recommended | |
| 2024 | The Playbook | Smithsonian Magazine Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · History | |
| 2024 | The Playbook: A Story of Theatre, Democracy and the Making of a Culture War | Financial Times Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Literary non-fiction | |
| 2024 | The Playbook: A Story of Theater, Democracy, and the Making of A Culture War | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Must-Read Books: Nonfiction | |
| 2024 | The Playbook: The Story of Theater, Democracy, and the Making of a Culture War | Publishers Weekly Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2020 | Shakespeare in a Divided America: What His Plays Tell Us About Our Past and Future | National Book Critics Circle Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Nonfiction | |
| 2020 | Shakespeare in a Divided America | New York Times 10 Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2020 | Shakespeare in a Divided America | New York Times 100 Notable Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2015 | 1606: William Shakespeare and the Year of Lear | James Tait Black Prizes source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Winner · Biography | |
| 2015 | 1606: William Shakespeare and the Year of Lear | The Telegraph Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2015 | 1606: William Shakespeare and the Year of Lear | The Guardian Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Biography and memoir | |
| 2015 | The Year of Lear | The Wall Street Journal Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2010 | Contested Will: Who Wrote Shakespeare? | Financial Times Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · History | |
| 2010 | Contested Will | New York Times 100 Notable Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2010 | Contested Will: Who Wrote Shakespeare? | Publishers Weekly Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2006 | 1599: A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare | Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Winner · Non-Fiction | |