Critics were divided on Hemingway's merit but the critical reception was mostly positive. In the beginnings his reputation was better in America. Later critics rejected Hemingway but in Europe he was still beloved. It is an interesting thing that some literary criticism is still not satisfied by "The Sun Also Rises" whereas by other critics it is believed one of Hemingway's masterpiece. Hemingway's literary criticism changed from the time of the publication of his books to nowadays. I would like to give a general view of the contemporary reception of all books and a more elaborated picture of the critical views about three of Hemingway's major works. Picking "The Sun Also Rises" "For Whom the Bell Tolls" and "The Old Man and the Sea" shows suitably the contradictory attitude to the heritage of Hemingway.