The Basics About the Bible: The History Books of the New Testament

The New Testament opens with five books which, taken together, outline most of the events of its timeframe.

They are divided into the Gospels (Biographies of Jesus) and The Book of Acts, showing the birth and growth of the early church.

- Matthew - presents Jesus as the promised king, in David's royal line
Many  believe genealogy is Joseph's geneology, giving Jesus the royal title to kingship.
Matthew shows us fulfilled prophecies. He organizes his material, not necessarily chronologically, but with the thought of  easing teaching & memorization.

- Mark wrote  the gospel Peter would have, a gospel for Romans and for busy people.
 He uses the word "immediately" a lot.
If you want just the basics of the Gospel, this is the place to begin.

- Luke - Jesus is the Son of Man. Luke's geneology goes through David's  son Nathan (ever hear of him?) back to Adam, presumably through Mary.   
Luke, himself a Gentile or nonJew, gives us lots of parables and stories of Gentiles and women.

-  John - John writes in simple words with deep meanings. It is NOT a simple  gospel!     
Written about 60 years after the others, John had meditated on what had happened for a long time.
 He gives us a very personal, human  Jesus, who is at the same time shown in all His divinity. Here we see  Jesus the Son of God.

Last recorded feature of each Gospel:

Matthew: Resurrection

Mark: Ascension

Luke: Promise of Holy Spirit

John: Promise of 2nd Coming

Acts 1 brings all four together.

-  Acts - or, more completely, The Acts of our Lord Jesus Christ through  the Holy Spirit in His Apostles.
 The early history of the church, especially as spread by Peter, Philip the Deacon, and Paul.
The other books of the New Testament, mostly letters, can be strung on the events described here as pearls on a necklace.  This gives us a framework for arranging the others chronologically. (Most of them, anyway.)