Marshall, James Vance, was a pseudonym used by the English author Donald Gordon Payne (1924-2018). A pseudonym is a false name used in place of one’s own name. Payne wrote Walkabout, one of the best-known novels in Australian literature. The novel’s descriptions of the Australian outback were based on the diaries and notes of the Australian adventurer James Vance Marshall (1887-1964). Marshall allowed Payne to publish the novel under his name.
The novel was first published in 1959 as The Children. Later, in 1961, it was published as Walkabout. The story concerns two American children who become stranded in the central Australian bush country after their plane crashes. The children depend on the help of an Aboriginal boy, who eventually leads them to safety. The novel is remarkable for its psychological insight into the characters, and its unusual handling of race relations among the children. It is also noted for its descriptions of the desert and its plant and animal life. A highly praised motion picture based on the book and directed by British filmmaker Nicolas Roeg was released in 1971.
Payne was born on Jan. 3, 1924, in London, England. His childhood travels to Australia and New Zealand sparked a lifelong interest in those countries. Payne worked for British publishing companies in the 1950’s. During that time, he wrote his first novel, The Midnight Sea (1958). Payne wrote several more popular novels and children’s books as James Vance Marshall after Marshall’s death and with his family’s permission. He also wrote novels and nonfiction under the pseudonyms Donald Gordon and Ian Cameron. Payne died on Aug. 22, 2018.
