Cheapskate in Lotusland
January 05th, 2026
Douglas & McIntyre will celebrate the launch of Cheapskate in Lotusland: The Philosophy and Practice of Living Well on a Small Budget (D&M $26.95) with Vancouver writer and humourist Steve Burgess at The Irish Heather on January 13 at 7 pm.
Set in one of North America’s most expensive cities, the book blends memoir, economic philosophy and sharp social observation to examine frugality as a deliberate, life-affirming practice rather than a constraint. Drawing on more than three decades in Vancouver, Burgess reflects on rising rents, modest income and the everyday strategies that allow him to live comfortably, thoughtfully and with curiosity.
“Can a book be funny, deeply personal AND useful? Steve Burgess pulls off this unlikely trifecta, and he does so with aplomb. Brimming with insights and canny advice, Cheapskate in Lotusland is a trove of rich anecdotes. This is some mighty fine writing.”–Will Ferguson, three-time winner of the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour.
“Parsimony, like the past, is a foreign land where things are done differently. Never have those cheeseparing precincts known a better or more cheerful guide than the proudly and unrepentantly tight-fisted Steve Burgess. In part a how-to manual and in part a confessional memoir, Cheapskate in Lotusland is a wide-ranging, well-researched, and unfailingly entertaining rationale for living cheaply as the best revenge. You might think that miserliness, like poetry, is ruined by analysis, but Burgess—a very good writer—will show you otherwise. Cheapskate in Lotusland is an excellent book, highly recommended, and available for free from your public library.”–Bill Richardson, broadcaster and author of The Bachelor Brothers’ Bed & Breakfast
A contributing editor at The Tyee and former CBC host, Steve Burgess brings wit, lived experience and critical insight to a conversation about money, consumerism and what it really means to live well. He is also the author of Reservations: The Pleasures and Perils of Travel (D&M, 2024) which was longlisted for the Leacock Medal. His stories have been featured in publications including Reader’s Digest, Maclean’s and The Globe and Mail. He lives in Vancouver, BC. 9781771624633
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