The blurb for this book says the author wrote it after traveling in Central America -- that's hard to believe. The main part of the plot for the second half of the book revolves around the supposedly common kidnapping for ransom of a Honduran citizen by "Sandanistas [sic]." The backcover also refers to the hero being in the "killing fields of the Sandinistas" -- huh, wha?! In the 1980s ( the book is set in 1989) Nicaraguan contras were based in Honduras for their attacks into Nicaragua; no Sandinistas or armed Nicaraguan force of any political stripe before or since has been entering Honduras or any other country and kidnapping people.
The book is riddled with absurd inventions like this. Take one example: anyone who's been there will laugh at the long description of Tegucigalpa International airport as 2 concrete strips among barren hills, where passengers are separated by chicken wire(!!). In fact, the hills are covered with pine trees that you smell as soon as you arrive, and the terminal is like a regional U.S. airport, except for the spectacular 100 ft. mural of Copan (that's been there over 20 years). If you've ever been to Central America, much less if you're a Honduran, you'll eventually get angry at the stupid portrayal of Hondurans and Honduras inflicted by the author. Statements like the fantasy that someone was sacrificed every day at Copan during the Mayan kingdom is one in a series of the most ridiculous fantasies and stereotypes that permeate the book's portrayal of Honduras. Steer clear of this loser.
Look out Florence, they say you're next!

I just finished reading Honduran Summer, Honduran Spring and recommend it to anyone in the 18-40 age group. It just really spoke to me. You get on a roller coaster ride on page one that takes you through a sexual and exotic world that entices every desire you can imagine. I can imagine Joel Lee Sherman to be one of America's next great writers.

This book deserves no stars. This is the worst guidebook I have ever used! The information is inconsistent and not organized well. It lacks a language section. I found the references to "clubs for men" offensive. In addition, this book included inaccurate generalizations of the women in Honduras. Although this book is in its fifth edition, there are still several errors in it. I would have been better off using the Rough Guide to Central America.

I brought two guidebooks with me on my recent trip to Honduras, which is an amazing country to visit by the way, and this book was the better resource by far. (The other book was Lonely Planet's Central America on a Shoestring.) J.P. Panet writes about Honduras with sincere affection for its people and a sensitivity to their culture. Hotel and restaurant listings are comprehensive, phone numbers are accurate (not so with Lonely Planet's book), and descriptions are useful. I almost didn't buy this book because of another review on (...) site, but I'm glad I ignored it!

This is a typical gas station road map. If you are planning on driving while there and want to plan ahead this may not be a bad idea. You could also download a country map and be as well off.

My three friends and I just returned from Honduras. We each had a different guidebook. This one was by far the worst (even compared to books which covered central America in general rather than Honduras specifically).

Significant problems with this book include: seemingly random selection of lodging and food choices, almost no coverage of smaller towns, inaccurate public transportation information, and no ordering to hotels and restaraunts at all (neither alphabetical or - more logically - by cost).

Worst, the book is poorly written - we often had trouble figuring out just what the author meant. One particularly frustrating example arose when we tried to follow the book's directions to get to Tela (a city on the North Coast). The book states: "From San Pedro, take a bus from the Tupsa/Catisa station, 2 Avenida, 5/6 Calles SW, for Progresso, and change there for the bus to Tela. Buses leave every 15 minutes for El Progresso. However, you should take the direct bus to La Ceiba (same bus station), and tell the driver you want to get off at the entrance to Tela." Huh? So do we take the bus to Progresso, or to La Ceiba?

The book's history and culture information was fairly good (arguably better than the other guides we took with us) but it simply doesn't make up for the deficient selection and poor presentation of the information travellers really need. A passable second or third book, but not to be relied on as your primary guide to Honduras.