information-as-foundation

The 'Preamble' chapter of 'The Information' by James Gleick serves as an introductory framing device rather than a traditional narrative chapter. It includes publication details, epigraphs from Zadie Smith and John Archibald Wheeler that emphasize the evolving nature of information and its foundational role in understanding the past. The chapter sets the tone for the book's exploration of information as a historical and theoretical concept.