The “plot”of Dror Burstein’s dazzling meditation consists of nothing more than theauthor’s lying on a bench, looking up at the night sky. What results from thissimple action is, however, a monologue whose scope is both personal and cosmic,with Burstein’s thoughts ricocheting between stories from his past and visionsof the origin and end of the universe. The result is a fascinating blend ofreminiscence, fiction, and amateur science, seeking to convey not only apersonal story but the big picture in which the saga of life on Earth and ofthe stars that surround it have the same status as anecdotes about one’s auntsand uncles. With a tip of the hat to W. G. Sebald and Yoel Hoffmann,<em> Netanya</em> seeks to transform human historyinto an intimate family story, and demonstrates how the mind at play can bringa little warmth into a cold universe.