【内容简介】本书是林语堂旅美专事创作后的第一部书，也是他继《吾国与吾民》之后再获成功的又一英文作品。该书于1937年在美国出版，次年便居美国畅销书排行榜榜首达52周，且接连再版四十余次，并译成十余种外国文字
【目次】FORWARD
PREFACE
Chapter One THE AWAKENING
　I.APPROACH TO LIFE
　II.A PSEUDO-SCIENTIFIC FORMULA
　III.THE SCAMP AS IDEAL
Chapter Two VIEWS OF MANKIND
　I.CHRISTIAN, GREEK AND CHINESE
　II.EARTH-BOUND
　III.A BIOLOGICAL VIEW
　IV.HUMAN LIFE A POEM
Chapter Three OUR ANIMAL HERITAGE
　I.THE MONKEY EPIC
　II.IN THE IMAGE OF THE MONKEY
　III.ON BEING MORTAL
　IV.ON HAVING A STOMACH
　V.ON HAVING STRONG MUSCLES
　VI.ON HAVING A MIND
Chapter Four ON BEING HUMAN
　I.ON HUMAN DIGNITY
　II.ON PLAYFUL CURIOSITY: THE RISE OF HUMAN CIVILIZATION
　III.ON DREAMS
　IV.ON THE SENSE OF HUMOUR
　V.ON BEING WAYWARD AND INCALCULABLE
　VI.THE DOCTRINE OF THE INDIVIDUAL
Chapter Five WHO CAN BEST ENJOY LIFE？
　I.FIND THYSELF: CHUANGTSE
　II.PASSION, WISDOM AND COURAGE: MENCIUS
　III.CYNICISM, FOLLY AND CAMOUFLAGE: LAOTSE
　IV."PHILOSOPHY OF HALF-AND-HALF": TSESSE
　V.A LOVER OF LIFE: T'AO YUANMING
Chapter Six THE FEAST OF LIFE
　I.THE PROBLEM OF HAPPINESS
　II.HUMAN HAPPINESS IS SENSUOUS
　III.CHIN'S THIRTY-THREE HAPPY MOMENTS
　IV.MISUNDERSTANDINGS OF MATERIALISM
　V.HOW ABOUT MENTAL PLEASURES?
Chapter Seven THE IMPORTANCE OF LOAFING
　I.MAN THE ONLY WORKING ANIMAL
　II.THE CHINESE THEORY OF LEISURE
　III.THE CULT OF THE IDLE LIFE
　IV.THIS EARTH THE ONLY HEAVEN
　V.WHAT IS LUCK?
　VI THREE AMERICAN VICES
Chapter Eight THE ENJOYMENT OF THE HOME
　I ON GETTING BIOLOGICAL
　II.CELIBACY A FREAK OF CIVILIZATION
　III.ON SEX APPEAL
　IV.THE CHINESE FAMILY IDEAL
　V.ON GROWING OLD GRACEFULLY
Chapter Nine THE ENJOYMENT OF LMNG
　I.ON LYING IN BED
　II.ON SITTING IN CHAIRS
　IIl.ON CONVERSATION o
　IV.ON TEA AND FRIENDSHIP
　V.ON SMOKE AND INCENSE
　VI.ON DRINK AND WINE GAMES
　VII.ON FOOD AND MEDICINE
　VIII.SOME CURIOUS WESTERN CUSTOMS
　IX.THE INHUMANITY OF WESTERN DRESS
　X.ON HOUSE AND iNTERIORS
Chapter Ten THE ENJOYMENT OF NATURE
　I.PARADISE LOST?
　II.ON BIGNESS
　III.TWO CHINESE LADIES
　IV.ON ROCKS AND TREES
　V.ON FLOWERS AND FLOWER ARRANGEMENTS
　VI.THE "VASE FLOWERS" OF YUAN CHUNGLANG
　VII.THE EPIGRAMS OF CHANG CH'AO
Chapter Eleven THE ENJOYMENT OF TRAVEL
　I.ON GOING ABOUT AND SEEING THINGS
　II."THE TRAVELS OF MINGLIAOTSE"
Chapter Twelve THE ENJOYMENT OF CULTURE
　I.GOOD TASTE IN KNOWLEDGE
　II.ART AS PLAY AND PERSONALITY
　III.THE ART OF READING
　IV.THE ART OF WRITING
Chapter Thirteen RELATIONSHIP TO GOD
　I.THE RESTORATION OF RELIGION
　II.WHY I AMA PAGAN
Chapter Fourteen THE ART OF THINKING
　I.TIlE NEED OF HUMANIZED THINKING
　II.THE RETURN TO COMMON SENSE
　III.BE REASONABLE
CERTAIN CHINESE NAMES
A CHINESE CRITICAL VOCABULARY
WADE-GILES TO PINY1N CONVERSION TABLE
WORKS IN ENGLISH BY LIN YUTANG