Derek Parker

For the footballer, see Derek Parker (footballer).

Derek Parker (born 1932) is a British writer and broadcaster. He is the author of numerous works on literature, ballet, and opera, and with his wife, of several books about astrology.

He was born in Looe, Cornwall, and educated at Fowey Grammar School. He worked as reporter with The Cornishman (Penzance) then as drama critic with The Western Morning News (Plymouth). Subsequently he worked as writer, announcer and interviewer with TWW (Independent Television, Cardiff), then as freelance writer and broadcaster for BBC radio and television. During the 1960s and 1970s he wrote and introduced innumerable programmes about the arts, including series about the ballet and opera, and features on individual artists. He introduced long-running series both for BBC Radio 4 and the World Service, such as The Poem Itself and The Paperback Programme. He reviewed non-fiction and television for The Times and was a columnist for The Listener, and contributed to The Spectator.

He was author with his wife Julia Parker of The Compleat Astrologer (1971), the first popular modern textbook of astrology, which sold over a million copies in fourteen languages. This has been followed by a number of books about astrology, including 2001's Parkers' Astrology. In The Question of Astrology (1970) Parker examined modern attitudes to the subject, quoting the views of many authorities both approving and disapproving the subject. During the same year he discussed astrology in a radio programme with Dr. Jonathan Miller, Michel Gauquelin and others. This was one of the first BBC programmes to cover astrology from the point of view of both supporters and sceptics; previous coverage had been largely sceptical. He and his wife have lectured on astrology in Europe, the Americas and Australia.

Parker has been editor of Poetry Review) and of The Author). Chairman, Society of Authors (1981-2); member of its Grand Council. Member, Grand Council of the Royal Academy of Dance. Member General Committee, Royal Literary Fund) 1969-2002, as Registrar 1977-2002). He now lives in Sydney, Australia, where he introduces programmes of classical music for 2MBS-FM. He is currently working on a biography of A. B. 'Banjo' Paterson.

Publications

• The Fall of Phaethon (1954)
• Company of Two, with Paul Casimir (1955)
• Beyond Wisdom (verse play, 1957)
• Byron and his World (1968)
• The Twelfth Rose (ballet libretto, 1969)
• The Question of Astrology (1970)
• The Westcountry (1973)
• John Donne and his World (1975)
• Familiar to All: William Lilli and 17th century astrology (1975)
• Radio: the great years (1977)
• The Westcountry and the Sea (1980)
• The Memoirs of Cora Pearl (1983, fiction, as William Blatchford)
• The Eros Series of 15 erotic novels, published anonymously
• God of the Dance: Vaslav Nijinsky (1988)
• The Trade of Angels (1988, fiction)
• The Royal Academy of Dancing: the first 75 years (1995)
• Writing Erotic Fiction (1995)
• Nell Gwyn (2000)
• Roman Murder Mystery: the true story of Pompilia (2001)
• Casanova (2002)
• Cellini (2004)
• Voltaire (2005)
• The Trampled Wife: the scandalous life of Mary Eleanor Bowes (2006)
• Outback: the discovery of Australia's interior (2007)

As editor

• Poetry review)
• Selected Letters of Edith Sitwell (1970, with John Lehmann)
• Sacheverell Sitwell: a symposium (1975)
• An Anthology of Erotic Poetry (1980)
• An Anthology of Erotic Prose (1981)
• Love Confessed (1983)
• The Author)
• The Kings of England (1995)

In collaboration with Julia Parker

• The Compleat Astrologer (1971)
• The Compleat Lover (1972)
• Derek and Julia Parker's Love Signs (1973)
• The Compleat Astrologers' Love Signs (1974)
• The Immortals (1976)
• The Story and the Song: British musical comedy, (1979
• How do you Know Who you Are? (1980)
• Do It Yourself Health (1982)
• A History of Astrology (1983)
• The New Compleat Astrologer (1984)
• Dreaming (1985)
• Life Signs (1986)
• A Traveller's Guide to Egypt (1986)
• The Future Now (1988)
• A Traveller's Guide to Cyprus (1989)
• A World Atlas of the Supernatural (1990)
• The Secret World of your Dreams (1990)
• Parkers' Astrology (1991)
• The Power of Magic (1992)
• The Sun and Moon Signs Library (1992)
• Face Facts (1993)
• The Complete Book of Dreams (1995)
• Love Signs (1996)
• Parkers' Astrology Pack (1997)
• Parkers' Prediction Pack (1998)
• The KISS Guide to Astrology (2000)
• The Companion Guide to Astrology (2008)
• Parkers' Encyclopedia of Astrology (2010)