David Parlett (born 18 May 1939 in London) is a games scholar, historian, and translator from South London, who has studied both card games and board games. He is the president of the British Skat Association.
Life
David Sidney Parlett was born in London on 18 May 1939 to Sidney Thomas Parlett and Eleanor May Parlett, née Nunan. He is one of three brothers. During the Second World War, Parlett lived in Barry, Glamorgan. Parlett was educated at Battersea Grammar School and the University College of Wales in Aberystwyth. He has a BA in Modern Languages. Parlett was a technical writer with PR companies and later a freelance write for Games & Puzzles magazine. He is married to Barbara and they have a son and a daughter.
Works
His published works include many popular books on games such as Penguin Book of Card Games, as well as the more academic volumes The Oxford Guide to Card Games and The Oxford History of Board Games, both now out of print. Parlett has also invented many card games and board games. The most successful of these is Hare and Tortoise (1974). Its German edition was awarded Spiel des Jahres (Game of the Year) in 1979.
Parlett is a Quaker.
Books
Games and gaming
All the Best Card Games
Anarquía y Otros Juegos Sociales de Cartas
Botticelli and Beyond
Card Games for Everyone
Family Card Games
Know the Game: Patience
Original Card Games
Solitaire: Aces Up and 399 other Card Games
Teach Yourself Card Games
Teach Yourself Card Games for Four
Teach Yourself Card Games for One
Teach Yourself Card Games for Three
Teach Yourself Card Games for Two
Teach Yourself Poker and Brag
The Guinness Book of Word Games
The Oxford Dictionary of Card Games
The Oxford Guide to Card Games / A History of Card Games
The Oxford History of Board Games reprinted as History of Board Games
The Penguin Book of Card Games
The Penguin Book of Patience
The Penguin Book of Word Games
The Penguin Encyclopedia of Card Games
The Popular Dictionary of Card Games
Other subjects
A Short Dictionary of Languages
Dalcroze Today (translation of Marie-Laure Bachmann's work) Learning a Language Alone Selections from the Carmina Burana (translations)
Games invented
Board games
Since 1974, David Parlett has published numerous games, including the following: Around the World in 80 Days (2016) Asterix: Das Kartenspiel (1990) Chicken Out! (2017) Die Wilden Kerle (The Wild Kids) (2017) Hare and Tortoise (1973) Katarenga (Colorado) (2017) LifeCards Metal Mickey's All Around the House Game (1982) Ninety-Nine (1974) / Four Seasons (2016) Pot Black: Snooker Dice (1980) Rainbow Junior Scrabble (1989) Roman Poker (2015) Shoulder to Shoulder (1975) Star Wars: Duell der Mächte (2015) Sushi Spiel (Chinese Take-Away) The Gnümies Party Game (2001) The Puzzle of Oz (2012) Zoo Party / 7Safari (2000) / Alles für die Katz
Card games
Parlett has invented more than 70 original card games that can be played with a standard deck of playing cards.