Contemporary literature in the West has shown some signs of ethical change.

Some of his stories have been adapted by Ping Chong into his puppet theatre including the 1999 Kwaidan and the 2002 OBON: Tales of Moonlight and Rain. Hearn's life and works were celebrated in The Dream of a Summer Day a play that toured Ireland during April and May 2005 which was staged by the Storytellers Theatre Company and directed by Liam Halligan. Legacy
Admirers of Hearn's work have included Ben HechtJohn Erskine and Malcolm Cowley.

Patrick Lafcadio Hearn (27 June 1850 – 26 September 1904) known also by the Japanese name Koizumi Yakumo (小泉 八雲?) was an international writer known best for his books about Japan especially his collections of Japanese legends and ghost stories such as Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things.