Another Chicago book? Yes indeed, ‘A History Lover’s Guide’ spans the city’s birth to our cemeteries.

CHICAGO — There are a lot of books written about Chicago and why not?

This is an ever-fascinating place, filled with vivid characters, interesting places and buildings, and dramatic, funny or often bloody events that have and continue to provide enough material for hundreds of novels, nonfiction works and guidebooks.

Many of these Chicago books are excellent, some modestly appealing and more than a few, simply put, lousy. That last group includes ho-hum offerings focused on gangsters and other touristy clichés and/or feature a listing of the well-worn suspects: deep-dish pizza, blues bars, Navy