Ch. 1. Introduction : Dickens and the changing patterns of popular entertainment
ch. 2. Popular entertainment and childhood
ch. 3. Nicholas Nickleby : the novel as popular entertainment
ch. 4. The old curiosity shop : the assessment of popular entertainment
ch. 5. Hard times : the necessity of popular entertainment
ch. 6. Popular entertainment in Dicken's journalism
ch. 7. Dicken's public readings : the abiding commitment.