Two Eggs on My Plate

by Oluf Reed Olsen

1966. Arrow Edition. 320 pages. Paperback book with pictorial cover. Black and white photographic plates. Pages and binding are presentable with no major defects. Minor issues present such as mild cracking, inscriptions, inserts, light foxing, tanning and thumb marking. Overall a good condition item. Paper cover has mild edge-wear with light rubbing and creasing. Some light marking and tanning.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, War, Espionage, Military Fiction, World War II, Biography

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1945

Reviews

[Sharon Richardson · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a spy and fighter in the Norwegian resistance during WWII, Oluf Reed Olsen was fearless! His story of his six years of service with the British Secret Service is incredible, although I found the book tedious in parts.
I was excited to read this book because of a recent conversation with my mother. In the mid-1950’s my dad was stationed with the American Embassy in Oslo, Norway. At a Bridge party one evening my mom was discussing a book that she was reading. She didn’t realize it at the time, but the author of the book, Oluf Reed Olsen, was her Bridge partner! An interesting detail he shared with her that evening was that the escape route the resistance used was through the very property we lived on during our three years in Norway. Mr. Olsen gave my mom a signed copy of his book which she sadly lost over the years. Too bad....some of of those books are selling for as much as $1,500 today! 😳

[John Voyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great book which really explains what it was like to work for Special Operations during World War 2, especially in Norway. It wasn’t anywhere near the picture portrayed in the films. A lot more mundane and reliant on luck and your wits than gadgets. I enjoyed the book, whilst written in a style that is dated it was still good.

[David Holford · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating look at life in occupied Norway during WW2 for a young man who decided to resist the Nazi invasion. Oluf Olsen and a few friends escape to Britain during the first year of the occupation in an incredible voyage of perseverance, resilience, strength and optimism. He is in his early twenties, and clearly an extraordinary person. In Britain and Canada he is trained as a resistance fighter and eventually dropped by parachute back into Norway where he spends the remainder of the war gathering information which he and his comrades send back to England to assist the war effort against the Germans, particularly the sinking of German ships. He and his companions are incredibly tough, amazingly resourceful, wonderfully courageous and just plain lucky. This is an understated story of espionage which is even more extraordinary because it is true. Worth reading for anyone interested in that period of Norway’s history.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing tale from World War Two. This is an autobiography of his time, under Norway's occupation by the Nazi war machine, and his desire to help Norway overcome their captivity. He was able to make contact with a British secret agent and so began an amazing journey from taking photographs of military airports to eventually escaping to England. From there to Canada to train as a pilot, back to England where he was then trained to become a secret agent for the British forces. Dramatically parachuted back into Norway where he established and lead a group of Norwegians whose purpose was to obtain and transmit requested information back to England.
The escapades, the tensions, the descriptions, the challenges make for a memorable story.

[Pat Delwiche · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a story! The depth of commitment of these young men to the Norwegian cause, to their homeland, is awe-inspiring. While it was sometimes difficult to follow nautical & geographical details of the narrative, the author clearly conveyed the frightening political climate and extreme privations which he and his fellow resistors experienced in the pursuit of freedom. Made a great sequel to David Howarth’s “The Shetland Bus”.

[J. Weaver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two Eggs On My Plate is a fascinating first hand account of one Norwegian man's experience starting at the beginning of the Nazi invasion of Norway and running through nearly the end of WW II.

As a young man, Oluf Reed Olsen started his career in espionage by sabotaging an important bridge in Oslo shortly after the Nazi invasion began. Moving from there to spying on an important airfield in the area, Olsen had numerous close calls with the Nazi's culminating in his decision to leave the country for the Shetland Islands across the Black Sea in Scotland. The plan nearly fails when the trio of refugees get caught in a storm that ultimately sinks a much larger and storm worthy British naval ship and a British bomber. Luck is surely on their side as they survive the impossible. Olsen and co make it to the Shetland Islands, then eventually Canada where they train to be pilots in the Free Norwegian Air Force.

Olsen then joins OSI in England where he trains as a radio operator and is tasked with parachuting into Norway and setting up a string of radio stations to alert the allies to Nazi naval movement in the critically strategic Black Sea. Olsen parachutes into Norway, nearly dying, then some how manages to set up a string of the most successful radio stations all across the Oslo area, near death around every turn.

His story is one that shouldn't exist. From running from whole battalions of mountain soldiers through the Norwegian mountains and marshes to close encounters at continuous German check points, this is a fascinating story of espionage and survival. While slow in parts, it is a memoir after all, the action more than makes up for it as you continuously wonder how this man survived and avoided capture for years on end.

If you are at all curious as to how the Norwegians lived under Nazi rule, this book is for you. If you, like me, are even more interested in the everyday operations of the Norwegian resistance movement, this story is a must have..

[Kami · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read an exert of this book (called Assignment Spy) when I was 11 or 12 that my mom had, which she had owned since she was 11 or 12. Anyway, it stuck with me and when I was trying to think of books to get my non-reader husband to read, I thought of it. That's when I found out it was actually a portion of this book and I promptly bought an old copy. I think it's really fascinating and down-to-earth. Meaning, he doesn't make it sound like an action movie, just telling what happened. I liked that about it, however that's also why one star is taken off, because at parts it did drag a bit. Loved the WWII history and kind of the start of special ops.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very interesting tale of Oluf Olsen's work undercover against the Nazis in Norway during World War II. His initial escape from Norway before he was trained to go undercover was the most interesting part of the book. I think it may have been somewhat more compelling if I were familiar with the Norwegian places he named as he recounted events. His work was heroic and often a hair's breadth from getting himself and others killed. We can't thank the brave individuals who served in that war enough. Most are now gone anyway but the events that happened must never be forgotten.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am yet to read this book but I am very interested as my nan met this man in 1940 on a ship she has a copy of his book and wrote a few pages of her journey with Oluf and his friend Rolf. My nan sent the book and a copy of her letter to the Norwegian museum where it is to this day before he died my nan sent a letter to him but sadly he passed away from ill health shortly after . I look forward to reading the book

[Steve Culliford · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the first half of this book pretty gripping, especially the account of the escape from Norway by boat in order to get to England and then the parachute jump back into Norway. Later parts were Ok but not quite living up to the promise of earlier sections. From the author's account he certainly managed some pretty incredible escapes from capture in occupied Norway.

[John Ollerton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Real coincidence of the kind that seems to often happen regarding a book I am reading at a particular time. Plug mentioned a country house where he was trained in SOE activities and received his two eggs and whilst visiting a particular country house and museum carrying this book came across a plaque to the brave men and women who trained there before being dropped behind enemy lines.

[Erik Graff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was recommended to me by my mother's stepfather, Fin Graff, when I visited him and her mother, Minnie, in Oslo during the summer of 1962 when I was ten. A movie based on it was made in Norwegian which I was able to see that same summer.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I found the book a bit tedious at times, I was moved throughout by the remarkable determination and fearlessness displayed by these young soldiers and intelligence officers. Reading moved right along.

[Mary's Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

My parents lived in Norway for eleven years in the 70's and 80's. My dad was interested in the Norwegian Resistance in WWII and collected a couple of this type of memoir. He recommended this one in particular. I found it a fascinating look into a time when courage really mattered.

[Jeannine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting true story of a Norwegian Underground radio operator during WWII. Not the best story-telling, just tells what happened.

[Lili · Rating 4 out of 5]

True war experiences, a book I read many years ago, found a secondhand copy recently an re read. Very interesting story told how it was.

[G P · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightful and the right amount of drama without glamourising war. It's nice to find something historically accurate without it being a text book.

[Charles Baugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

[Emma Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! Read it a few years ago - Very thrilling first half and a slower second half, but all in all very educating and interesting. Don't very often hear a lot about the Norwegians in WW2.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic book. It is well written and interesting. I tend to loose interest in many and most books that are written from a history standpoint but this one held my attention to the very end. It also detailed many of the missions and problems they ran into. They were lucky to make it out alive and many did not. It did not sugar coat the missions and seemed to describe them in great detail without being boring. I highly recommend this book.