| 2024 | Letters | The New Yorker Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Also Recommended | |
| 2024 | Letters | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2017 | The River of Consciousness | Esquire Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2017 | The River of Consciousness | The Globe and Mail Globe 100 source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Non-Fiction | |
| 2016 | On the Move | Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Nonfiction | |
| 2015 | On the Move | Goodreads Choice Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Nominee · Science & Technology | |
| 2015 | On the Move | Slate Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2015 | On the Move | BookPage Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2015 | On the Move: a Life | The Telegraph Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2015 | On The Move: A Life | NPR Books We Love source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books We Love | |
| 2015 | On the Move | The Globe and Mail Globe 100 source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Non-Fiction | |
| 2015 | On the Move | New York Times 100 Notable Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2015 | On the Move | Paste Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2015 | On the Move: A Life | The Observer Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Science | |
| 2014 | Hallucinations | Wellcome Book Prize source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Shortlist · Book Prize | |
| 2012 | Hallucinations | Library Journal Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Consumer Health | |
| 2012 | Hallucinations | Amazon Editors' Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Top 100 | |
| 2010 | The Mind’s Eye | The Globe and Mail Globe 100 source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Non-Fiction | |
| 2010 | The Mind’s Eye | New York Times 100 Notable Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2010 | The Mind’s Eye | Financial Times Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Science & Environment | |
| 2007 | Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain | Financial Times Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Music | |
| 2007 | Musicophilia | The Globe and Mail Globe 100 source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Non-Fiction | |
| 2007 | Musicophilia | Washington Post Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Notable Nonfiction | |
| 2007 | Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain | Amazon Editors' Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Top 100 | |