Ellen Wade and Karen Spears Zacharias, two seasoned women with family roots in the American South, take us along as they leave their families behind and enter a graduate program in Scotland, where they have months to study the connection between Scotland and Appalachia while exploring their own Celtic roots. The book’s title, The Devil’s Pulpit & Other Mostly True Scottish Misadventures (Mercer University Press 2025) and description sound like Ellen and Karen are on a madcap escapade causing mischief in the most gentle way. Turns out that’s not exactly true. But what they do experience and share with their readers are the lovely local people, customs, gorgeous landscapes, and various dialects of today’s Scotland, along with social commentary and history — often through a feminist lens.
Karen is white and lives in Oregon, though she was born in Georgia and spent her childhood moving to various military bases with her family. Her grandparents were in Tennessee, where she spent time as a child. A former crime beat reporter, true-crime writer, and novelist, Karen brings to life each Scottish encounter by setting the scene, developing the characters, and moving the story along with authentic dialogue.
Ellen is an African-American former school teacher from Oak Park, Illinois, whose white grandfather migrated out of Appalachia in the 40s, taking along some of his bi-racial children — chosen because they had lighter skin — and leaving behind Ellen’s mother. Ellen is a poet, opening each chapter with her poetic reflections on Scotland’s people and stories, both real and mythical.
Ellen and Karen’s “misadventures” are not related to their graduate work but to excursions to regional towns and hiking trails. Their extended stay in Scotland means they grow to feel like locals, regularly visiting a favorite cafe and journeying to nearby sights, unhurried. With her reportorial style, Karen starts up conversations with strangers that lead to interesting insights about history and current world events.
At first, the dialogue written in Scottish accents can slow down the reading, but “hearing” the Scottish sounds through printed words is exactly what readers need. The reading of dialects gets easier within just a few pages of practice.
Ellen and Karen allow the reader to meet and appreciate real people of diverse backgrounds, while also learning about the protestant/catholic conflicts, Mary Queen of Scots, Viking battles, Highland Coos, the Argyll’s Uprising, Scotland native John Muir and his hiking trail, Tibbie Pagan: poetess of Muirkirk, and much more riveting history mixed with frivolity.
Ellen and Karen find humor in their day-to-day encounters and entertain the reader with their explorations, introducing stories about The Bagpiper, The Redhead, The Divorcee, and the Elvis fan. They also share more serious concerns related to women’s history — mostly the mistreatment of women and girls, such as witch trials around the world — including the concept that Scots brought patriarchy/misogyny to the U.S. with their migrations.
The impact of the Scottish culture on Appalachia and the American South is well documented. That linkage between the two cultures is at the core of Ellen and Karen’s Shepherd University Appalachian Studies MA program, and their participation in the “Global Appalachia” component involving their admission to the University of The West of Scotland.
As an African American, Ellen experienced Scotland differently than Karen, wondering where the Black people were and working on a documentary about that very question during her time there. In her prose, Karen writes about some of the racism directed at Ellen, both subtle and not-so-subtle.
The reader’s affection for Ellen and Karen is sure to grow as they learn more about these two vibrant women, their life experiences, their studies and accomplishments, and how they’re making their way in the world, supporting women’s rights and enjoying their long-term marriages. Oh, and black-and-white photos of their “misadventures” are sprinkled throughout the book.
Having Ellen and Karen as tour guides of Scotland is a highlight of their book. They didn’t set out to write a guide book, but the details about towns and sights, and how they reached each one, could help a traveler plan an itinerary. Plus, they share a few Scot vocabulary lessons, social etiquette tips, and how to decipher diverse accents.
And if readers have no plans to visit Scotland, they can travel vicariously through Ellen and Karen’s rich experiences… learning a few things about themselves along the way.
Unlike the subtitle’s tease that their misadventures are mostly true, it must be said that their tales are all true, and truly from the heart.
E.J. Wade
E.J. Wade is an award-wining poet whose work has been published in Anthology of Appalachian Writers, Women Speak, New Ohio Review, Salvation South, and Callaloo Literary Journal. She holds an EdD in Disability and Equity in Education from National Louis University, an MA in Appalachian Studies from Shepherd University, and an MA in Creative Media Practice from the University of the West of Scotland. Her work focuses on the silencing, exclusion, and invisibility of African American Women with disabilities.
Karen Spears Zacharias
Karen Spears Zacharias is an American writer whose work focuses on women and justice. She holds an MA in Appalachian Studies from Shepherd University and an MA in Creative Media Practice from the University of the West of Scotland. A Georgia native, she lives at the foot of the Cascade Mountains in Oregon.
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