Based on this excerpt, what is the purpose of the preface?
Read this excerpt from the preface of a book on the Titanic.
On April 10, 1912, the [Titanic) left Southampton on her
maiden voyage to New York. Her cargo included a
priceless copy of the Rubaiyát of Omar Khayyam and a list
of passengers collectively worth two hundred and fifty
million dollars. On her way over she ... struck an iceberg
and went down on a cold April night. ... This is the story of
her last night
to summarize the events that his book will cover
to emphasize the wealth and luxury that was lost
to explain the personal reasons for writing the book
to define the historical period in which the events
occurred
-A Night to Remember,
Walter Lord