So let me begin by saying I once had a book that was borrowed by someone about 8 years ago and I have been pining for it since about 2 years ago. Problem is, I cannot remember the title and am no longer in contact with the "borrower." It was a large book, not necessarily thick but more long and illustrated. It was very informative without being dull or boring. I want this book, but if no one knows it- that's okay. It doesn't have to be that book, just something LIKE it. I have read the John Adams and Thomas Jefferson letters and LOVED it. So throw your recommendations at me. I am very well read and can pretty much handle an reading level, but nonetheless I still like it to be interesting. Thank you all so much!
This is a little difficult because you're not being very specific about what you'd like to learn about (US History is very broad). Here are a few:
Alan Taylor and Woody Holton are great authors for early US history, especially for complicating narratives a lot of people already know. For Taylor, check out William Cooper's Town and American Colonies. For Holton try Forced Founders and Unruly Americans
If you want to know about 18th century slavery, Philip Morgan's Slave Counterpoint is a tour de force.
For early republic and antebellum US history, a great overview is Daniel Walker Howe's What Hath God Wrought. Also check out Bruce Levine's Half Slave and Half Free, which is basically a condensed version of his college course on the origins of the Civil War.
Slavery: To learn primarily about slaveholders, I'd go with Drew Faust's James Henry Hammond and the Old South, James Oakes The Ruling Race, and Stephanie McCurry's Masters of Small Worlds. To start incorporating the perspective of the slaves themselves start with Genovese's Roll Jordan Roll and the fantastic work of Walter Johnson, both Soul by Soul and River of Dark Dreams
I have plenty more. Let me know if you have any specific areas of interest.