If you have not yet done so, I would recommend taking a look at the 'general' section of the subreddit Booklist, which contains several titles that offer an introduction to history without getting too bookish or academic.

I would start by thinking about what you are specifically interested in, as both a region and a time period. Then go the the library and do some searches. Start with something broad and see what catches your interest so you can drill down further. I also like to find some call numbers of books that sound interesting and see what is shelved near them.

If you live near related historical sites, visiting them can be a good way to get an idea of what was happening. For instance, a few years ago I had the opportunity to visit a Nazi concentration camp. I had seen maps and schematics before, but walking around it, seeing the way they used the natural slopes of the land (guard lodging, gas chambers, and crematorium at the top of the hill, train depot and then the now bulldozed prisoner housing near the bottom) and how close the nearest city was gave me a new appreciation of the evil that happened there and in other camps.