I'm not sure you could say that there is an easy wood to turn. Each wood has it's own characteristics. There is a 'Best' wood to turn, the free stuff. Let your mates know about your hobby and they will suddenly start presenting you with lumps of the stuff. Shrub and branch trimmings, the I've had this in the shed/garage for years stuff etc.
I'd also suggest that you use fairly green or seasoned timber, not old or well aged - Ash, Oak and some other woods undergo a chemical reaction as they age and become extremely hard and difficult to turn.
You say you are having problems with end grain - can I suggest you work on spindle turning to start with. Get a good grounding in the tools, their use and how they work before having a go at bowls or hollow-forms.
Please post your work and we will give honest reviews and thoughts.
Also ask anything, we all started as beginners, most of us never had the opportunity of this sort of forum to ask the questions we needed answers to.
And welcome to the forum.