TheThird Man Factor

John Grigsby Geiger was born in Ithaca, New York, and graduated in history from the University of Alberta. The author of five non-fiction books, including the international bestseller Frozen in Time: The Fate of the Franklin Expedition, his work has been translated into ten languages. He also authored, with Dr Peter Suedfeld, the scholarly study 'The Sensed Presence as a Coping Resource in Extreme Environments'. He is editorial board editor at the Globe and Mail, and a senior fellow at Massey College, University of Toronto. He is a governor of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and chair of the Society's Expeditions Committee, a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and of the Explorer's Club, and a Member of the Advisory Board of Wings Worldquest. He received the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal.

The Third Man Factor tells the revealing story behind an extraordinary idea: that people at the very edge of death, often adventurers or explorers, experience a benevolent presence beside them who encourages them to make one final effort to survive.

If only a handful of people had ever experienced the Third Man, it might be dismissed as an unusual delusion but over the years the experience has occurred again and again: to mountaineers, divers, polar explorers, prisoners of war, solo sailors, aviators, astronauts and 9/11 survivors. All have escaped traumatic events only to tell strikingly similar stories of having experienced the close presence of a helper or guardian.

In The Third Man Factor John Geiger combines history, scientific analysis and great adventure stories to explain this secret to survival, the Third Man who - in the words of legendary Italian climber Reinhold Messner - 'leads you out of the impossible'.

'Exciting, edge-of-your-seat tales. It's like revisiting the greatest hits of exploration and dare-devilry, but from a new angle.'
Evening Standard

The Third Man Factor tells the revealing story behind an extraordinary idea: that people at the very edge of death,
often adventurers or explorers, experience a benevolent presence beside them that encourages them to make one
final effort to survive.

If only a handful of people had ever experienced the Third Man, it might be dismissed as an unusual delusion, but over the years the experience has occurred again and again: to mountaineers, divers, polar explorers, prisoners of war, solo sailors, aviators, astronauts and 9/11 survivors. All have escaped traumatic events only to tell strikingly similar stories of having experienced the close presence of a helper or guardian.

In The Third Man Factor John Geiger combines history, scientific analysis and great adventure stories to explain this secret to survival, the Third Man who - in the words of legendary Italian climber Reinhold Messner - 'leads you out of the impossible'.

'Engrossing and formidable'
Los Angeles Times

Incredible true stories of a life-saving presence experienced in extreme adventuring situations - backed up by weighty researchFounded on astonishing near-death tales . . .The Third Man Factor is a more thoughtful investigation of a strange "presence" felt by lonely explorers.Geiger recounts many, many tales of people who have found themselves in extreme situations, and felt a ghostly presence helping them. Almost without exception, they are exciting, edge-of-the-seat tales. Some of them might be familiar, which is no bad thing; it's like revisiting the greatest hits of exploration and daredevilry, but from a new angle ... These are gripping tales, and Geiger tells them wellGeiger seeks the opinion of a range of neurological researchers, and sets out these expert opinions with zest . . . There is interesting material here on the human organisms's capacity to endure.Geiger's account combines history, scientific analysis and true-life tales to haunting effect.Extraordinary . . . compelling . . . John Geiger's book combines history, scientific analysis and great adventure stories and produces much food for thought.Author John Geiger has now, for the first time, collected these stories in a remarkable new book. Whatever the explanation for this mysterious phenomenon such 'third man' experiences seem to be an extrememly powerful force for survival when death seems imminent . . . Some of the most amazing survival stories ever are told by John Geiger's 'The Third Man'.Gripping.