In prison you see only the moves of the enemy. Prison is the hardest place to fight a battle." 117 Days is Ruth First"s personal account of her detention under the iniquitous "90-day" law of 1963. There was no warrant, no charge and no trial - only suspicion. This sparsely written and unique record tells of her experiences of solitary confinement, constant interrogation and instantaneous re-arrest on release - lightened by humorous portraits of governors, matrons, wardresses and interrogators, seen as the tools of the police state.