Awards

• British Columbia Book Prize finalist for What Is America? 2008.
• Libris Non-fiction Book of the Year Award for A Short History of Progress, 2005.
• B.C.  Award for Canadian Nonfiction finalist for A Short History of Progress, 2005.
• David Higham Prize for Fiction for A Scientific Romance, 1997.
• Gordon Montador Award for Stolen Continents, 1993.

Honours

• Honorary Doctorate, Bishop’s University, 2007 .
• Honorary Doctorate, University of Calgary, 1996.
• A Book of the Year, The Independent, for A Short History of Progress, 2005
• A Book of the Year, The Sunday Times, The New York Times, and The Globe and Mail, for A Scientific Romance, 1997.
• A Notable Book of the Year, The New York Times, for Cut Stones and Crossroads, 1984