Years ago, I attempted reading The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, but either the writing style or my young age or something else prevented me from really getting into it. It might have been too "military," not something that can keep my focus for too long.

I got a number of books I'm going to start reading - not about Hitler, per se, but about other Nazis such as Josef Mengele, Reinhard Heydrich; but I'm not really sure which of the hundreds of Hitler biographies would be the most easily-read, since most of Hitler's story is 'military.' With people like Mengele and Heydrich, it is more (at least I believe) about their attrocities which borders on good fiction, but with Hitler it seems (maybe falsely) to not have that edge of fiction that makes for a good novel - but what would be the best recommendation on the story of Hitler?

I'd try again with The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. Personally I find it to be more political and is a generally factual overview of the period.
A Hitler biography is going to have military aspects (it's Adolf, by the way).
He arguably started WWII and fought in WWI. It's a big part of his biography.

Maybe a bit more of what your interest are could provide more direction. Otherwise your local book store would have a perfectly acceptable selection of Hitler biographies to get you started.

I realized the incorrect spelling a little too late.
How stupid is I?

Richard J. Evans' trilogy on Nazi Germany is an astounding achievement.

Extremely highly recommended!

Volume 1: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1594200041/
Volume 2: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1594200742/
Volume 3: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1594202060/

The first volume will shed tons of light on Hitler's rise to power.

how is "Adolf Hitler" by John Toland?

or "Explaining Hitler?"

I'd retry Rise and Fall of the Third Reich as well. I actually never finished this (got half way through and put it down for some reason) but found it incredibly fascinating. I've been meaning to pick it up again, but don't have a copy anymore and haven't thought about it in a while.

I'd suggest forgoing "Rise and Fall," and picking up the first volume of the Evans trilogy. He makes a good case for this work and how it supersedes "Rise and Fall." Again, can't recommend it enough.

What books about Mengele and Heydrich are you going to read/have read/are reading?

"The Face of Evil."

For those interested in Heydrich, I'd recommend The Killing of Reinhard Heydrich: The SS "Butcher of Prague."

For those looking for a detailed history of the SS (which Hitler created), do check out "Order of the Deaths Head" by Heinz Hohne.

Start with one of his children's books:

Efferybody poops, Except the Jews

Der Fuhrer, Der Vitch, und Der Vardrobe

Are You There God? It's Me Adolf

Gunther Potter and the Chamber of Aryan Superiority

The Little Bunker on the Prairie

Where's Waldo, That Filthy SCHWEINHUNDGLOCKENSPIELLIVERWURSTLEDERHOSEN!!!!!!!

I really like Explaining Hitler.
Ian Kershaw has a biography of Hitler that is fairly recent.
It's called Hitler: a Biography I think.
Not a very original title.

It's hardly on par with the works already cited in this thread, but Peter O'Toole's "Loitering with Intent: The Child" tells not only O'Toole's autobiography, but runs a parallel biography of Hitler. Even if O'Toole had never become a world famous actor, it would still be a fascinating read because it shows the impact Hitler had on a little British boy's childhood. Just know going into the book that it is not organized at all; there aren't even chapters, just periodic breaks in the text as he jumps from one period and place to another.

Mein Kampf

(I don't think he wrote anything else)

The Iron Dream by Norman Spinrad.

The Iron Dream is awesome!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0140911677/