Try Hugh Brogan's The Penguin History of the United States.
Brogan is remarkably balanced in a field that attracts lots of ideologues and he covers a lot of ground in this brisk, one volume work. The book was first published in the mid-80s and has been available continuously since then, and it has stood the test of time well. And Brogan is English, so he has a little bit of distance from his subject.
I enjoyed The Penguin History of the USA by Hugh Brogan. Brogan is an English Historian who provides a humorous and interesting perspective on the History of America.
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