There are any number of guidebooks for Charlottesville and Albemarle County, from brief mentions in Fodor's and Frommer's, to detailed local guides. There are also some great books that illustrate the beautiful architecture and natural wonders of the area.  Here are some recommendations:

 Tours:

 Grizzard, Frank, et al. Historic Charlottesville Tour Book, 10 Tours of Charlottesville, Virginia. Historic Resource Task Force, 2002. ISBN: 978-0972273305 (Available from the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society, local bookstores, Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com) -- The tours in this book center mostly on Charlottesville proper and the area between the historical city and the University.

Cooper, Jean L. A Guide to Historic Charlottesville and Albemarle County, Virginia. The History Press, 2007. ISBN: 978-1596291737 (Available from the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society, local bookstores, Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com) -- This guidebook is organized in chronological order, with historical essays and tours of the city and county in each chapter.

 Architecture:

Lay, K. Edward. The architecture of Jefferson Country: Charlottesville and Albemarle County, Virginia. University of Virginia Press, 2000. ISBN: 978-0813918853 (Available from the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society, local bookstores, Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com) -- Architecture professor emeritus K. Edward Lay illustrates the wonders of central Virginia's architecture. The book also is available with a CD-ROM illustrating over 2,400 buildings in the area.

Coffee Table/Photography:

 Chenoweth, Avery and Robert Llewellyn, Albemarle: A Story of Landscape and American Identity. University of Virginia Press, 2003. ISBN: 978-0974270708. -- Truly beautiful photography of the Albemarle countryside is accompanied by knowledgeable and creative historical text.