Perhaps the most classic book to begin with would be Walpola Rahula's
What the Buddha Taught. Written from the perspective of a practicing Buddhist monastic, it takes on the feel of the original material while delving into several questions that most people have who are looking into Buddhism for the first time.
It was while reading this book, which endeavors to present the teaching in an unvarnished and straightforward manner, that I was able to remove some of the misconceptions I had about the practice and to begin to gain some insight into the importance of contemplating the five aggregates of personality view. It is a very worthwhile introduction to the study of the Dhamma as well as presenting highlights of the teachings backed up with quotes from the discourses.
