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Actually Notes Library
Est. 2007

Actually Notes

Deep dives into History, Literature, Art, and the cultural trends shaping our digital world.

Trending Analysis

YouTube vs TikTok
Digital Culture

YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok: The Battle for Short-Form Attention

An in-depth look at how these platforms are fighting for dominance and the strategies creators must use to come out on top in the algorithmic warfare.

Live Streams
Media

The Rise of Long-Form Live Streams

Strategies to capture and maintain your audience's attention on YouTube in an era of endless scrolling.

YouTube Bell
Analysis

The Importance of the YouTube Bell

Watch our latest Shorts!

Why subscribing and turning on notifications is the lifeblood of modern digital content creators.

Hidden History

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Cinema History

Kubrick's Monolith in '2001': Origin & Meaning

Unpacking the visual and narrative significance behind one of cinema's most iconic symbols.

Cleopatra's Children
Antiquity

Cleopatra's Children: The True Story

The tragic and fascinating fate of the four heirs of the last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom.

Ferdinand the Catholic
European Monarchy

The Illegitimate Children of Ferdinand the Catholic

Dynastic assets, succession planning, and the secrets between the Crown and the Church.

Tulip Mania
Economics

Tulip Mania: History's First Speculative Bubble

How the obsession with a simple flower brought the Dutch Golden Age economy to its knees.

Hendaye Meeting
WWII

The Hendaye Meeting: Hitler and Franco

The full story behind the tense diplomatic encounter that defined Spain's role in the Second World War.

Plan Voisin
Architecture

Le Corbusier's Voisin Plan

The radical and controversial vision to demolish and completely rebuild the center of Paris.

Literature & Books

Shakespeare
Classic Literature

William Shakespeare: Accusations of Plagiarism

Exploring the historical controversies and sources behind the Bard's greatest masterpieces.

Boris Vian
Authors

Boris Vian: 'I Will Spit on Your Grave'

The scandal, the pseudonym, and the literary brilliance of one of France's most provocative writers.

Audiobooks
Reading Habits

Why Listen to Audiobooks?

How the spoken word is revolutionizing the way we consume literature in the 21st century.

Art Movements

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Salvador Dali
Surrealism

The Persistence of Memory: Dalí Analysis

Decoding the melting clocks and dreamscapes of the quintessential Surrealist masterpiece.

Andy Warhol
Pop Art

Twenty Marilyns by Andy Warhol

An explanation of the repetition, fame, and mortality captured in Warhol's silkscreens.

Hyperrealism
Modern Art

What is Hyperrealism?

Beyond photography: understanding the painstaking technique that creates illusions of reality.