Nowadays, it’s much more tempting for readers to reach for a new book they just bought rather than the ones that have been collecting dust on their bookshelves for months or even a year or two. Those books on your shelf end up becoming de facto furniture than actually read.

Starting now and going into 2025, I’ve prioritized reading the books on my shelf that I bought a while ago and no longer have the excitement of a new purchase. The Miracle Cures of Dr. Aira by Cesar Aira is one of those books that have been on my bookshelf for some time. I had read an online article about the author a few years ago and bought this novella on a whim.

The Miracle Cures of Dr. Aira tells the story of an unconventional doctor who supposedly has the gift of making miracles. Dr. Aira has gained a reputation as a miracle doctor in his local Argentinian community, but his nemesis, Dr. Actyn, is on a mission to discredit him as a charlatan.

The novella goes into Dr. Aira’s theories about miracles and his thoughts about the creative process as well. As a reader, I wanted to get to know Dr. Aira and how he came into this unusual career. Sadly, his story did not resonate with me, and while Aira’s writing was coherent…it lacked a compelling storyline. Moreover, the denouement appeared to be more of a literary device rather than a fulfilling resolution to the narrative.

While this novella did not connect for me as a reader, I do want to read more of Cesar Aira’s work. I thought he had provocative insights about life like this nugget of wisdom: But, as we can see, man proposes and God disposes. That sentence reads like it could have come from my favorite book in the Bible, Ecclesiastes. Aira provides several more insightful thoughts throughout the novella.

Cesar Aira is highly respected in both contemporary Argentinian fiction and world literature, and it’s possible that I chose the wrong book to begin my exploration into his fictional worlds. Oh, well…it happens when you buy books on a whim. Sometimes you hit a home run and other times you hit a single. The latter is the case with The Miracle Cures of Dr. Aira. On to the next book that has become de facto furniture on my bookshelf.