The novel's original title isn't the only thing that has been restored. Yesterday Will Make You Cry'' is Himes's novel as he first wrote it, a stark depiction of the ''alligator pond'' of prison life. The book's strengths lie in Himes's unflinching ability to stare down terrible truths and his finely detailed portrayal of men in conditions of great adversity.
Some phrases still come off as pulp hardball, but the novel's emotional core continues to smolder.