Reddit reviews Revolutionary Brotherhood: Freemasonry and the Transformation of the American Social Order, 1730-1840 (Published by the Omohundro Institute of Early ... and the University of North Carolina Press)

Ah... I think I understand. I find the historical context/circumstances in which the degrees themselves (not the legends) arose and evolved.

• The Masonic Myth by Jay Kinney. For my money, this is the handbook every American Mason should get and read.
  
  
• The Mason's Words by Robert Davis. This is perhaps the most concise and accurate work on the evolution of American Webb Ritual... ever.
  
  Both works are well written and enjoyable to read. They are not approached as dull history texts, and the information density is manageable for all reading levels, unlike say Bullock's Revolutionary Brotherhood, which is an amazing work but in places can be exhausting given the economy of language and information density. It is the definitive work on Masonry in Colonial and Early America, but the language is off putting to those who are casual readers.
  
  

Revolutionary Brotherhood is a good choice IMO. All about the history, and specifically the history of Freemasonry in America.

http://www.amazon.com/Revolutionary-Brotherhood-Freemasonry-Transformation-1730-1840/dp/080784750X