All Art Is Ecological by Timothy Morton
Last updated: 2 October 2026
All Art Is Ecological is a 112-page paperback by the philosopher Timothy Morton, published by Penguin in August 2021 as part of its 20-book Green Ideas series. Morton's starting point is that feelings and experience, the material art works with, are the basis for thinking seriously about ecology. The RRP is £9.99, and on 2 October 2026 it cost £9.99 on Amazon UK and £9.49 at Bookshop.org.
Buy All Art Is Ecological on Amazon UK
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What All Art Is Ecological argues
Penguin describes the book as a look at life during a mass extinction, written in a "provocative and playful" way. Morton's case is that emotions and experience are "the basis for a deep philosophical engagement with ecology", so the book starts from attention and feeling rather than from data.
It opens with the line "You might find yourself living in an age of mass extinction". From there Morton draws on Heidegger's writing about the Greek temple and on Mark Rothko's paintings to show how art can make the familiar look strange. Morton also argues that the standard advice to drive less, shop locally and save energy works badly as a message. Instead, small acts of attention, such as stroking a cat, count as ecological practice too. The 3 Quarks Daily review goes through these examples in more detail.
Who Timothy Morton is
Morton holds the Rita Shea Guffey Chair in English at Rice University in Texas. Their earlier books include Dark Ecology (2016) and Being Ecological (2018), and their work has been translated into 10 languages. They also gave the Wellek Lectures in Theory in 2014.
Morton also works with artists and musicians, and has collaborated with Björk, Laurie Anderson and Olafur Eliasson.
The Penguin Green Ideas series
Penguin launched Green Ideas in 2021 as 20 short books on the environment. The other writers in the series include Greta Thunberg, Naomi Klein, George Monbiot, Bill McKibben and Michael Pollan. Morton's book is number 3 of the 20, while Thunberg's No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference is number 1.
Key facts
- Author: Timothy Morton
- Publisher: Penguin Classics, in the Green Ideas series
- Published: 26 August 2021
- Format: paperback, 112 pages, 18.1 x 11.2cm, also sold as an ebook
- ISBN: 9780141997001
- Price: £9.99 RRP
Who it suits as a gift
- Artists and art students: it makes the case that their work is already part of the climate conversation.
- Climate readers: it comes at the climate from art and feeling rather than from science or policy.
- Philosophy beginners: at 112 pages, it is a short first taste of Morton's thinking before the longer books.
It fits in a coat pocket, so it also works as a stocking filler. Our gift guide for artists has more presents for people who make things.
Where to buy it in the UK
Amazon UK had the paperback at the full £9.99 RRP when we checked. Bookshop.org was 50p cheaper at £9.49, and because every sale there supports independent bookshops, it is the better buy if that matters to you.
All Art Is Ecological on Amazon UK
Penguin's own page for All Art Is Ecological lists the ebook and the rest of the series.
FAQs
What is All Art Is Ecological about?
It argues that emotions and experience, which is what art deals in, are the basis for engaging properly with ecology. Morton then applies that to living through a mass extinction.
How long is All Art Is Ecological?
It runs to 112 pages in a small 18cm paperback, so it is a short read.
How much does it cost?
The RRP is £9.99. Bookshop.org had it at £9.49 when we checked, and Amazon UK charged £9.99.
Who is Timothy Morton?
Morton is a philosopher who holds the Rita Shea Guffey Chair in English at Rice University. Their other books include Dark Ecology and Being Ecological.
How many books are in Penguin's Green Ideas series?
There are 20, all published by Penguin from 2021, and All Art Is Ecological is number 3.
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