Decoding Washington

Cities in Words is geoPlaneta’s new series, reviving the finest tradition of correspondent journalism to explore some of the world’s great cities through a personal, journalistic, and thoroughly contemporary lens.

In Decoding Washington, Sara Canals ventures into the US capital to uncover what lies behind its official image. From the Capitol and the Pentagon to espionage centres, temples, historic cemeteries, restaurants frequented by presidents, and locations that cinema has turned into icons, the author portrays a city shaped by power and memory. Drawing on her experience as a correspondent and her natural curiosity, she offers a personal and revealing portrait of Washington: the place where some of the world’s most consequential decisions become news.