FAIRHOPE, Ala. — Page & Palette had planned to host Fairhope native son Paul Gaston on Nov. 12 for a signing of his new book, “Coming of Age in Utopia: The Odyssey of an Idea.”

Due to unforseen circumstances, however, the author had to cancel his appearance, and the bookstore hopes to bring Gaston to town in the spring. The book is still available for purchase there.

Gaston’s new memoir weaves stories of social justice into a forceful, personal narrative.

In his first book-length work in recent years, the renowned Southern historian and civil rights activist chronicles his story of a committed life, and reveals his deep roots in the unique utopian community founded in 1894 by his grandfather and later led by his father on the shores of Mobile Bay.

Fairhope grew into a unique political, economic and educational experiment; a center of radical economic and educational ideals and institutions, and home to a vibrant idealism and creative arts.

It was a haven for reformers, writers and other visitors.

As time passed, however, Fairhope’s radical nature went into decline. By the early 1950s it was clear that great changes were coming to the South, and the author began to look outward for ways to take part in the coming struggle — the civil rights movement.

Gaston’s career at the University of Virginia, where he taught from 1957-97, forms the core of “Coming of Age in Utopia,” and the story Gaston tells of social change both in the city of Charlottesville and the University of Virginia is one in which he played significant roles.

Gaston’s life and career are marked by his devotion to the rich cultural history of the South, and his calls for social justice echo throughout his collected scholastic works.

As a result of this passionate commitment — both personal and professional — to progress in his native land, Gaston has garnered a reputation as one of the most respected southern historians in the country.

Gaston was born in Fairhope in 1928. After receiving his bachelor or arts at Swarthmore, he earned his master of arts and his Ph.D. at the University of North Carolina.

He was a Fulbright Fellow at the University of Copenhagen during 1952-53, and a visiting lecturer at The Johns Hopkins University in 1963-64.

His teaching career was spent at the University of Virginia, from which he recently retired.

He is also the author of three other NewSouth published books: “Man and Mission,” “Women of Fairhope” and “The New South Creed: A Study in Southern Mythmaking.”

For more information, call (251) 928-5295.