My book 'Becoming Karl' tells the story of my experience with toxoplasmosis during pregnancy, and the consequences for myself and my unborn baby. Karl was born seriously brain and eye damaged. Barely alive at birth he survived, but doctors believed he would be ineducable. Today Karl is forty-five years old, an articulate and talented individual who lives independently.  Poignant and fascinating, my story, which started off so tragically, became a story of success and triumph against incredible odds. As well as being a gripping personal journey for both myself and my son Karl, it has universal implications: the plasticity of the brain and its ability to reorganise and repair itself under the right stimuli; the vital role that music and books and language play in the development of motor and cognitive skills; and the resilience and strength of the human spirit under duress.