After experiencing the museum, Montgomery felt different. My class was silent. Nobody cared to crack any jokes. The air even started to smell different — like rotting garbage, reminiscent of the Southern Magnolia that Billie Holiday sung about decades prior. 

Boston University’s Marsh Chapel held their first of two readings of “Parable of the Sower” Thursday, part of a Boston-wide program in which the book will be presented by ArtsEmerson, the Boston Public Library and New Roots Church.