Ruth First

Ruth First (1925-1982) was a South African anti-apartheid activist, journalist, and scholar who dedicated her life to exposing the injustices of apartheid through her investigative reporting and academic work. Her most notable works include "117 Days," a memoir of her detention by South African security police, and "The Barrel of a Gun," an influential study of military coups in Africa. As a journalist for radical South African newspapers like The Guardian and Fighting Talk, First documented the harsh realities of apartheid, including forced labor conditions in South African farms and the impact of racial segregation policies. Her investigative work led to her arrest in 1963 under the Ninety-Day Detention Law, during which she endured solitary confinement and psychological torture. After going into exile in 1964, First continued her work as an academic and researcher, teaching at universities in the UK and Mozambique while publishing critical studies on African politics and labor conditions. Her life was cut short in 1982 when she was assassinated by a parcel bomb in Mozambique, sent by agents of the South African security services. First's legacy lives on through her published works, which include "Black Gold: The Mozambican Miner" and "Libya: The Elusive Revolution," as well as through the Ruth First Memorial Lectures established in her honor. Her writings continue to be studied as important documents of apartheid-era South Africa and African political movements.

Readers consistently note First's raw honesty and detailed documentation of apartheid-era South Africa. Her memoir "117 Days" receives particular attention for its direct, unflinching account of detention and interrogation. Readers appreciate: - Clear, precise journalistic writing style - Personal insights into anti-apartheid resistance - Thorough research and documentation - Ability to connect individual stories to broader political context Common criticisms: - Academic works can be dense and theory-heavy - Some readers find the political analysis dated - Limited availability of her books, especially in print Ratings: Goodreads: - "117 Days": 4.2/5 (200+ ratings) - "The Barrel of a Gun": 3.8/5 (50+ ratings) Amazon reviews highlight her "powerful firsthand testimony" and "meticulous research." One reader notes: "First's account gives voice to experiences that would otherwise have been lost to history." Academic reviewers frequently cite her work in studies of apartheid resistance and African political movements.

117 Days (1965) First-person account of the author's detention in solitary confinement under South Africa's 90-day law in 1963.

South West Africa (1963) Analysis of the political and economic conditions in what is now Namibia under South African administration.

The Barrel of a Gun: Political Power in Africa and the Coup d'État (1970) Study of military coups in Africa, focusing on Nigeria, Sudan, and Ghana.

Libya: The Elusive Revolution (1974) Examination of Libya's social and political transformation under Muammar Gaddafi's leadership.

Black Gold: The Mozambican Miner, Proletarian and Peasant (1983) Investigation of labor conditions and social impact of Mozambican miners working in South African gold mines.

The South African Connection: Western Investment in Apartheid (1972) Documentation of international business involvement in South Africa during apartheid.

Olive Schreiner (1980) Biography of the South African author and anti-war campaigner Olive Schreiner.

Nadine Gordimer wrote extensively about apartheid South Africa and political resistance, similar to First's focus on social justice and anti-apartheid activism. Like First, she combined journalism with creative writing to document racial inequality and state oppression.

Steve Biko wrote about Black Consciousness and liberation in South Africa during the same period First was active. His writings share First's emphasis on exposing systemic racism and mobilizing resistance against the apartheid regime.

Ellen Kuzwayo documented the experiences of Black South African women under apartheid through memoirs and social commentary. Her work parallels First's focus on gender, race and class struggles in South Africa.

Lewis Nkosi analyzed South African literature and culture while living in exile, as First did. His essays and criticism examine many of the same themes of resistance literature and political writing that appear in First's work.

Brian Bunting wrote about South African communism and the liberation movement as both a journalist and activist. His combination of political analysis and firsthand accounts mirrors First's approach to documenting anti-apartheid resistance.