It can often feel as if politicians use a lot of words without saying much of anything. So how do journalists and citizens make sense of what’s said (and unsaid) in the many congressional reports, court decisions and campaign memoirs that pour out of Washington?

This week, Carlos makes the case for reading the Capitol, and uses insights from his new book, “The Washington Book,” to help his co-hosts decode everyone from Donald Trump to Mike Pence to Barack Obama.

(A full transcript of this audio essay will be available within 48 hours of publication in the audio player above.)

Recommended in this episode:

• “The Washington Book” by Carlos Lozada
• “What Were We Thinking” by Carlos Lozada
• “The Woman at the Washington Zoo” by Marjorie Williams
• “Postwar” by Tony Judt
• “The Emerging Republican Majority” by Kevin Phillips
• “The Emerging Democratic Majority” by John Judis and Ruy Teixeira
• “Chain Reaction” by Thomas B. Edsall and Mary D. Edsall
• “Dead Right” by David Frum
• “The Grand New Party” by Ross Douthat and Reihan Salam
• “The Speechwriter” by Barton Swaim

Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440.