| 2017 | When Breath Becomes Air | Pulitzer Prize (Biography and History) source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Biography or Autobiography | |
| 2017 | When Breath Becomes Air | Wellcome Book Prize source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Shortlist · Book Prize | |
| 2017 | When Breath Becomes Air | British Book Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Shortlist · Non-Fiction: Narrative Book of the Year | |
| 2016 | When Breath Becomes Air | Goodreads Choice Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Winner · Memoir & Autobiography | |
| 2016 | When Breath Becomes Air | Waterstones Book of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Shortlist · Book of the Year | |
| 2016 | When Breath Becomes Air | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2016 | When Breath Becomes Air | BookPage Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2016 | When Breath Becomes Air | Library Journal Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Biography & Memoir | |
| 2016 | When Breath Becomes Air | The Economist Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Biography and memoir | |
| 2016 | When Breath Becomes Air | Entertainment Weekly Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books | |
| 2016 | When Breath Becomes Air | NPR Books We Love source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books We Love | |
| 2016 | When Breath Becomes Air | The Irish Times Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books of the Year | |
| 2016 | When Breath Becomes Air | The Globe and Mail Globe 100 source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Non-Fiction | |
| 2016 | When Breath Becomes Air | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2016 | When Breath Becomes Air | New York Times 100 Notable Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2016 | When Breath Becomes Air | Publishers Weekly Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2016 | When Breath Becomes Air | Paste Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2016 | When Breath Becomes Air | The Observer Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Science | |