Shell scripting input redirection oddities

Question

Can anyone explain this behavior? Running:

#!/bin/sh
echo \"hello world\" | read var1 var2
echo $var1
echo $var2

results in nothing being o

Answer 1

This has already been answered correctly, but the solution has not been stated yet. Use ksh, not bash. Compare:

$ echo 'echo "hello world" | read var1 var2
echo $var1
echo $var2' | bash -s

To:

$ echo 'echo "hello world" | read var1 var2
echo $var1
echo $var2' | ksh -s
hello
world

ksh is a superior programming shell because of little niceties like this. (bash is the better interactive shell, in my opinion.)