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The Third Man Factor: The Secret to Survival in Extreme Environments
by
John Geiger
Trader Ron DiFrancesco in the World Trade Center, diver Stephanie Schwabe, Sir Ernest Shackleton: All shared an experience that an unseen being helped them to survive against staggering odds. If it were just a handful of people, it might be dismissed, but in fact, this phenomenon has occurred again and again. In a riveting scientific and historical analysis, The Third Man...more
Paperback, 312 pages
Published
January 27th 2009
by Penguin Canada
(first published 2006)
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Feb 09, 2013
Jennifer (aka EM)
marked it as to-read
There is no publisher's description up for this book, and it's out just today. I heard an interview this a.m. on cbc with the author. It sounds fascinating. Check out these comments from the author's website:
"John Geiger's book, his fifth ... offers an original theory for the evolutionary importance of 'Shackleton's angel.' Geiger is well positioned to tackle the historical and scientific background of these close encounters of the wild kind...Packed with edge-of-your-seat stories of survival an...more
"John Geiger's book, his fifth ... offers an original theory for the evolutionary importance of 'Shackleton's angel.' Geiger is well positioned to tackle the historical and scientific background of these close encounters of the wild kind...Packed with edge-of-your-seat stories of survival an...more
Charles Lindbergh heard the Third Man on his 1928 transAtlantic flight, New York to Paris. James Sevigny heard the Third Man when he was tumbled two thousand feet by an avalanche, his back broken. "Most of the people who've encountered the Third Man aren't mystics," says John Geiger, "a senior fellow at the University of Toronto and governor of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society." A NASA astronaut heard him, as well as explorer Ernest Shackleton, who coined the "Third Man" term. They have b...more
a very interesting book to debunk the fact that actually there might not be angels, or demons or any past lives coming to visit you when a person is in a book so called, Extreme and Unusual Environments (EUE)...a book vividly described many (I mean tons) of extreme conditional adventures such as mountain climbing, Poles' expeditions that requires extreme mentality..the book also listed many researchers' effort to create so called phenomenon (not theories) to explain what goes on..in order to spo...more
The stories that Geiger collects and tells are simply astonishing. Some are inspiring, but others are downright gruesome - either way none of them are dull. These stories are worth the price of admission (so to speak). However, the scientific materialism that follows which tries to explain away The Third Man factor falls rather flat. Each explanation touches upon an interesting point, but never erases all of the fascinating details of The Third Man factor making the explanations somewhat lame. A...more
"Who is the third who walks always beside you? When I count, there are only you and I together. But when I look ahead up the white road. There is always another one walking beside you. Gliding wrapt in a brown mantle, hooded. I do not know whether a man or woman - But who is that on the other side of you?'' - TS Eliot
Ron DiFrancesco was the last person to get out of the World Trade Center alive on 9/11/2001. A "third man'' guided him to safety, telling him to go down the stairs rather than tryin...more
Ron DiFrancesco was the last person to get out of the World Trade Center alive on 9/11/2001. A "third man'' guided him to safety, telling him to go down the stairs rather than tryin...more
In having a near death experience in June 2008, it made me question what is life ?, what comes after ?. I've also been reading books by Mitch Albom & Dan Millman.
Not being a regular churchgoer but having an inner faith,I wanted to explore my spiritual side for personal reasons , but also to read other peoples spiritual journeys and experiences.
I happened to see on TV a teenage American boy, who'd had a burst to 'superhuman' strength which saved his Uncle from being crushed beneath a car he...more
Not being a regular churchgoer but having an inner faith,I wanted to explore my spiritual side for personal reasons , but also to read other peoples spiritual journeys and experiences.
I happened to see on TV a teenage American boy, who'd had a burst to 'superhuman' strength which saved his Uncle from being crushed beneath a car he...more
Although immensely readable, this is a very strange book. It is part spiritual self-help book (how to access your inner third man) and part adventure story.
What the tales here really inspire are ghost stories. That’s especially true in the section where the writer is talking about the experiences at the Antarctic bases, the sense of a presence that goes back centuries to the first accounts of exploration in that isolated area. It’s especially interesting that there seem to be two different kind...more
What the tales here really inspire are ghost stories. That’s especially true in the section where the writer is talking about the experiences at the Antarctic bases, the sense of a presence that goes back centuries to the first accounts of exploration in that isolated area. It’s especially interesting that there seem to be two different kind...more
Book Review: The Third Man Factor: Surviving the Impossible by John Geiger
Ron DiFrancesco was the last person to escape the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. He somehow made it from his desk on the eighty-fourth floor of the South Tower, through flames, down the stairwell and outdoors to safety before the tower collapsed. He says someone, an angel grabbed his hand and guided him at that critical time.
Also on 9/11, Will Jimeno, a NY Port Authority officer rushed to the World Trade Center to...more
Ron DiFrancesco was the last person to escape the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. He somehow made it from his desk on the eighty-fourth floor of the South Tower, through flames, down the stairwell and outdoors to safety before the tower collapsed. He says someone, an angel grabbed his hand and guided him at that critical time.
Also on 9/11, Will Jimeno, a NY Port Authority officer rushed to the World Trade Center to...more
I found the stories in this book really interesting. It reminded me of a pioneer story of the man pulling the handcart who had decided he could go no further. He was going to make it to the next rock and then stop forever, when he felt someone else pushing his handcart. He kept looking back to see who was pushing. I found the theories very inconclusive, especially since none of the experiments sounded very much like what the survivors experienced. I found those sections tedious, but that's proba...more
Fascinating subject. Interesting asides--for example, ironically, these explorers to space, Antarctica, etc., venture to a very monotonous setting in order to escape the monotony of everyday; then, they must maintain a high level of alertness in this monotonous environment. Interesting individual stories. But the book as a whole did not quite come together. It became repetitive and didn't feel processed. Geiger gave the facts, but did not work them enough, teasing out their deeper meanings and m...more
"An intelligent rendering of a chilling phenomenon, this truly revelatory work describes how humans, when facing deprivation and possible death, often experience an unseen presence pointing them toward survival." --iPage. After the event they vividly remember this presence and swear that the presence saved them from an untimely death. Very interesting as Geiger gives actual accounts of people who have experienced it first hand. I was completely hooked in the beginning, but i gradually lost inter...more
I found the subject of this book to be fascinating! People under extreme stress in extreme environments report the feeling of a presence that helps and encourages them to survive; a so called "Third Man". Geiger had many stories to report of this phenomenon, but after awhile the relating of these stories became tedious because they were all very similar. Geiger also introduced scientific studies brought about to explain this phenomenon; everything from hypothermia, to the effects of stress, alti...more
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Geiger presents a collection of tales of survival in extreme environments where the adventurer or survivor has documented the experience of a presence that comforts and guides them in their time of need. From Shackleton's famed Antarctic misadventure, through the high altitude travails of summit hungry mountaineers, to survival in the towers of the World Trade centre, we see this phenomenon emerge again and again. Geiger's inquiry into the phenomenon is sober and meticulous but also imbued with...more
Shortly after I graduated from college, two friends and I travelled around Europe. After a while, the three of us realized that when we were walking together, we were always looking around for the fourth person. Eventually we named her Mary Anne and joked about her. We were hardly in the wilderness, or alone, or under great duress, but travelling in Europe was a new experience for us. I recalled that I had read in a book The Balloonist: A novel by MacDonald Harris, a book that had captured my im...more
One of the most thought provoking books that I have ever read. If you like a book with stories of survival in remote and extreme conditions this is the book, plus there is the third man factor. Hate to waste time on a bad read and so I read a lot of reviews on books before I buy them. Picked up the WSJ about 4 years ago and read the review on the Third Man Factor, was I glad because it turned out to be a great read and a page turner. A good book for a snowy day or beach vacation... you will enjo...more
This book had so much potential - looking at famous stories of incredible adventures where someone had a "third man" experience (i.e. spiritual encounter/hallucination/however you want to define it). While the stories are interesting, particularly in the beginning before the theme grows monotonous, there is very little in the way of conclusions, insight, or explanation. Hearing the author's take, especially coupled with any research, would have been more interesting.
The Third Man Factor is full of tantalizing anecdotes, but Geiger fails to present a unified theory--or, more bluntly, any theory--of the third man as a spiritual, psychological or physiological phenomenon. The relatively poor prose (anyone else notice everything in the book "hits like hammer blows?") is another limitation of what I hoped would be an enlightening read, but was a merely competent overview of a the third man phenomenon.
A really interesting book about mysterious presences that seem to occasionally show up and help those under extreme and/or monotonous conditions. I would actually give this book a 3.5 if possible on here. It was really engrossing but a little heavy on the documented cases. There is a good chunk of the book that offers possible explanations for the Third Man Factor, and these were the best part. The author occasionally repeats himself, as if trying to stretch the book's length. The hard cover cop...more
An interesting, quick read about an usual experience: people in extreme, deadly circumstances suddenly feeling that there is a person beside them helping them to stay alive.
The book begins with a feeling that it is going to describe the supernatural, but I like that it does eventually explore the science behind the occurrence. Many, many stories of Third Man survival - maybe too many? I would have preferred to read more about the psychology.
The book begins with a feeling that it is going to describe the supernatural, but I like that it does eventually explore the science behind the occurrence. Many, many stories of Third Man survival - maybe too many? I would have preferred to read more about the psychology.
I am skeptical of some of the accounts in this book, but several are similar enough to make me believe in the "third man," whom I of course believe is either a manifestation of God himself, or an angel. While I have never experienced the third man factor, I would expect to, in any dire situation. I link the contemporary accounts in this book with the historical account of Daniel's three friends in the fiery furnace.
not the most well written book but enjoyable none the less. The subject is facinating. I especially enjoyed the last two chapters. We have learned so little about the brain thus far and the information that we have yet to explore and understand is amazing. What exactly have we been wired for? Relationship is a given and this book does a good job showing that aspect. For God to give us glimpses from time to time is facinating.
An exploration of the curious phenomenon of third man visitation during extreme situations. Apparently it is quite common for people in extreme situations to be visited by a spirit that guides them. A fascinating idea, but the book is a little repetitive since it goes through dozens of examples of the third man phenomenon.
However, it does explore some of the factors that bring about "the third man". Interesting.
However, it does explore some of the factors that bring about "the third man". Interesting.
I thought the topic of this book was very interesting and enjoyed the stories of survival and endurance. However, some stories were repetitive and I found myself wanting to skip past them to get to the next theme. I appreciated that Geiger remained neutral throughout the book until the last chapter where he explains his thoughts on the phenomenon. I would highly recommend this book to those interested in survival stories and the human psyche.
Interesting read about how people in extremis often find themselves comforted - or even saved - by a spirit - a ghost - an angel - or themselves. Stories of mountain climbers, sailors, accident victims, even a 9/11 survivor are woven throughout with assessments of the neurological, psychological or spiritual elements associated with "the third man" sightings.
Anne
Anne
Mountaineers, sailors, and other adventurers in extreme life or death situations frequently experience the presence of an unseen or shadowy companion who helps them cope and survive. This phenomenon is called the third man factor, and this book explores the various explanations for it, ranging from guardian angels to hallucinations to a physical split in the brain's hemispheres to interference with the tempo-parietal junction of the brain, to name only a few. Geiger has presented fascinating sur...more
awe, inspiration, adventure, wonder, mystery, amazing - people n extreme and profound situations - the question still remains; is there something more than human endurance and resilience that has kept these people alive through situations that mere mortals are not made to endure.
Based off of personal accounts of people in extreme situations, this book takes the reader on an often intense ride thru deep caves in the ocean, high atop the tallest mountains in the world, the Twin Towers on 9.11, etc., & they all have very similar experiences in these isolative experiences; an extra "felt presence" that helped them out of their situation. The author takes us through all possible situations and give all possible explanations for this strange but fairly common phenomenon....more
I'm not even sure what category to stick this in. The book takes a look at experiences of "The Third Man". It goes into some of the research being done to explain why people have these experiences. Though the author acknowledges that some people believe The Third Man is a guardian angel, or similar benevolent entity, this is definitely a secular look at the phenomenon. I enjoyed reading the accounts, but didn't really find the science convincing, perhaps because this wasn't the kind of book that...more
This book was interesting in its fairly brief discussion of what could be the various causes and explanations of the "Third Man Factor" (the feeling of an outside presence during times of physical and/or psychological strain in mostly extreme or unusual environments). Otherwise this is simply a collection of Third Man factor accounts that become quite tedious and repetitive, and which I generally started skipping the further I got into the book. Since the author states that he has created a webs...more
Interesting, but a bit repetitive...person finds themselves in a life-threatening situation, hears a voice that guides them to safety, attributes it to the deity of their choosing/a dead relative/lack of oxygen/etc. Lots of gripping stories, but ultimately it was a bit unfocused.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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| The Third Man Factor first reads giveaway | 3 | 25 | Jul 28, 2009 03:05am |
Ron DiFrancesco was the last person to escape the World Trade Center on Sept...more
Nov 23, 2011 07:56am