[LovesMacs]

It has been years since I read his work, but I remember enjoying Bruce Catton's books on the American Civil War. Keep in mind that they were written some decades ago and so they don't reflect the very latest research.

Wikipedia is convenient and it has coverage on a lot of popular culture that doesn't end up in traditional reference works. Wikipedia should however be taken with a grain of salt, especially when you look up controversial subjects or people who have recently been in the headlines.

No encyclopedia, especially Wikipedia, should be used as the basis for serious research. Encyclopedias are best used to give you an overview and to point you towards more in-depth resources.