David Gilbert is a born and bred Londoner. He had a nervous breakdown when 25 and recovered at 31. Before and after this, he has been an activist on behalf of people who use health services and now works as a Director in the NHS. He is Writer In Residence at the Bethlem Gallery and his first pamphlet, Liberian Pygmy Hippopotamus, was published by Templar. He is married to Susan (who he met during his period of illness) and they have two sons, Samuel and Adam, and a cat called Tulia (Finnish for fire). He supports Leeds Utd.