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For those of us in Southern California, Ray Bradbury wasn’t just an author, he was a fixture in our literary culture. Even in recent years, as he moved from his 80s to his 90s, he set up regular events at bookstores: he could be found at Vroman’s on Halloween, and at the Mystery & Imagination Bookshop on his birthday. These were occasions to buy books and get them signed, but they were also something more, a way to check in with Bradbury, to express appreciation for his work. Vroman’s event planner Jen Ramos says she saw the same people come back year after year, sometimes buying additional copies of the same book again and again.

But which book would that be? We asked people who follow @LATimesBooks on Twitter to tell us their favorite book by Bradbury, and got a wide variety of responses. Some people even told us what it was like to meet the man himself.

Ray Bradbury remembered

Readers on Twitter will remember Ray Bradbury for his many appearances around Los Angeles, and his many books and stories. We asked which are your favorites.

Storified by Carolyn Kellogg · Wed, Jun 06 2012 16:20:50

@latimesbooks met him at the thousand oaks library. Seemed a man with incredible curiosity and huge ideasJames Freymuth
@latimesbooks So many favorites, but my favorite of favorites from childhood on is #TheIllustratedMan.Raul Pumpkin
@latimesbooks Fahrenheit 451because of it’s beauty in the midst of chaos. I saw him at the 2008 Festival of Books, he was magic.Becky Hope
@latimesbooks Favs were Fahrenheit 451 & Martian Chronicles. Met him several times at writer’s events in LA area. A charming & gracious man.Jeanne Lyet Gassman
“@latimesbooks: Sci-fi pioneer Ray Bradbury dies at 91 http://lat.ms/L3qLvb” honored I was able to meet this man....opened my eyes to sci-fiKrysten Klein
@latimesbooks Saw him speak @ UCLA med school, in his 80s & still writing 3 books a year. Amazing.lirivera
@latimesbooks Book: Something Wicked This Way Comes. I did meet him, as a painfully young writer. He was generous and encouraging.Peggy Riley
@latimesbooks As a fellow Poe fanatic, I have a special love for The Exiles. Never met RB, but a friend did once. Said he was a lovely man.Undine
@latimesbooks My favorite Ray Bradbury book is my favorite book of all time: Dandelion Wine. It just makes me happy.M. E. Pickett
@latimesbooks Something Wicked This Way Comes inspired a lifelong love of wicked carnivals that eventually spawned my own writing career.Katy Towell
@latimesbooks ‘Fahrenheit 451’ - Best critique of media-besotted society until ‘White Noise’ was written. Never met but saw him speak.Bruce Watson
@latimesbooks can I be an honorary angelino? SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES changed the landscape if my family.Jennifer Wilson
@latimesbooks Read Farenheit 451 when Champaign-Urbana picked it as a their book for the whole community.Joanna Sholem
@latimesbooks #Ray Bradbury met him when he spoke at Bakersfield Business Conf circa 2000. Had him sign my copy of Fahrenheit 451. RIP.Charlie Powell
@latimesbooks Met him briefly at a book signing. My favorite is Martian Chronicles. The pictures he painted of another world still haunt me.Stephanie Thompson
Sand news. I always wanted to meet him. Science fiction pioneer Ray Bradbury, 91, has died http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/jacketcopy/2012/06/science-fiction-pioneer-ray-bradbury-91-has-died.html via @latimesbooksM. E. Pickett
We will miss you: Science fiction pioneer Ray Bradbury, 91, has died http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/jacketcopy/2012/06/science-fiction-pioneer-ray-bradbury-91-has-died.html via @latimesbooksPaolo Fior
What’s your favorite book by Ray Bradbury?

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-- Carolyn Kellogg