New book places Chester’s incredible past in the picture

A whistle-stop tour through Chester’s rich and vibrant history is now available in an innovative new book that combines narrative, humor, and striking visuals.

Titled A Really Short, Entertaining, Fully Graphic and as Accurate as Possible History of Chester, the book explores the city’s heritage from its first inhabitants 2,800 years ago to modern times. Published by the University of Chester Press, the book features a unique blend of humorous illustrations, engravings, maps, and realistic drawings.

Written under the pen name OB Appledore by Ricardo Tejeiro, an accomplished author, academic, and former political cartoonist, the book is designed to captivate readers of all ages, from students to seasoned history enthusiasts.

A Fresh Approach to Chester’s Past

OB Appledore shares Chester’s story through the lives of its people, institutions, and events. The book is filled with entertaining visuals, including caricatures and portraits, that accompany the carefully researched narrative. It targets readers from Key Stage Three upwards, making it an engaging resource for educators, residents, and tourists alike.

Discussing his motivation for the book, OB Appledore said:

“Chester has an extraordinary historical and social heritage. Writing this book has been a true pleasure, as it has allowed me to uncover how the city’s rich past lives on in countless small details that can still be seen and felt today.

“My hope is that this book will help share Chester’s remarkable history more widely. With that in mind, I’ve aimed to move beyond the traditional narrative style, choosing instead an approach that I hope will engage a broad range of readers – residents, students and educators, of course, but also tourists, visitors, and anyone curious to spend an enjoyable time discovering more about this wonderful city.”

About the Author

With dual PhDs in Journalism and Psychology, Ricardo Tejeiro is an expert in using visual storytelling to inform and engage. He has spent over 30 years as an educator and is currently a lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University.

His career includes 25 years as a political cartoonist, exploring how cartoons shape public opinion on social issues. In addition to his work on Chester, Tejeiro has written over 20 books on local history and contributed to campaigns addressing topics like racism and alcohol abuse.

The Really Short, Entertaining, Fully Graphic and as Accurate as Possible History of Chester is now available from the University of Chester Press.

For more details or to place an order, visit the University of Chester Storefront at www.chester.ac.uk/university-press.