An interesting pair is Saloons of the Old West (Richard Erdoes) and Jacob Hamblin Peacemaker (Pearson H. Corbett), not for contrasting views but rather contrasting visions of the U.S. West. Saloons details the all purpose role of the saloon, as social center, post office, traveling preacher's pulpit, etc, in support of a rapacious gold rush mentality to extract each resource as quickly as possible and move on. Hamblin, by contrast is an early Mormon pioneer repeatedly sent by Brigham Young to establish new towns in West as the Mormons made a bid for their own Zion. The early Mormons really were different from the rest of the folks heading West, very much intending permanent settlements and a farm based economy. The book title comes from Hamblin's command of Native American languages and ability to regularly make peace with the Native Americans.
Peacemaker has references to the laying on of hands and other religious hoo-haw, but just ignore that and read it for the interesting historical document that it is.
That's usually a good approach, especially scientific. When it comes to morals though, take heed. I'm not going to recommend anyone read Mein Kampf if they find the person behind it morally reprehensible.
