In these Covid ridden days, when libraries are mainly closed, or one is simply afraid to lend books, we still have craving for fact and fiction. Buying books is one solution, however not very economical. Fiction is easy to obtain, just get Netflix, HBO or Prime Video, etc. Your lifetime won't be enough. Fact is a different matter, especially for history. Yes, there are documentaries, but they tend to contain information you already know, or the very dose of new information is meagre.
Thankfully, there are some historians who have time and effort to share their knowledge and researched information on YouTube. Just to mention some (that I know), if you are interested on WWI, there is The Great War, It followed the war weekly on real time 100 years later (and still does), including specials about economy, weaponry, sanitary, diseases, political atmosphere, etc. You simply won't get this amount of information on any book. It was hosted by Indiana Neidell, the american extrovert Duracell-bunny of history, but was replaced by Jesse Alexander later on. If you are interested of Franco-Prussian war, Real Time History (same makers as on The Great War) makes week by week series of that not so well-known war, exactly 150-years later, and whit same depth as The Great War.
One very productive YouTube channel is Time Ghost Army, which produces WWII, week by week in real time, although 99-years later. That is hosted by Indy Neidell again. It also makes sub-series of WWII, like War Against Humanity, hosted by Spartacus Olson (yes those are real names), it presents the horrors of war with neutrality, with always the same very important ending by Spartacus, ”never forget”. Following the WWII is also Home Front-series, hosted by Anna Dinehart, and war espionage themed Spies and Ties, by Astrid Dinehart. Time Ghost also makes series Between Two Wars, it represents the very Zeitgeist, politics and culture of interwar years. Their series of Suez-crisis explained deeply what that tumult was really about, and that they did to Cuban missile crises as well.
These are only some of You Tube's history channels I know. I have seen some poorly made attempts of history channels, some had spew'd out poorly researched facts or facts we all know, and alas, outrageous lies to whitewash unpleasant history. Sometimes it needs an expert mind to filter out what is the truth and what is not.
When used correctly, YouTube can be a place of effective learning. So if you want to learn about history more faster than you could with any books. Watch those series, subscribe to their channels, and if you can, support their efforts with donations, YouTube is not a goldmine. Maybe after ten episodes you may watch those cat-videos again.
Time Ghost History: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLfMmOriSyPbd5JhHpnj4Ng
Real Time History: https://www.youtube.com/c/realtimehistory
The Geat War:https://www.youtube.com/c/TheGreatWarSeries
