Michael Palin Reads a Thoughtful Letter From George Bernard Shaw to St. John Ervine About Losing His Leg

Sir Michael Palin read a thoughtful letter from Irish playwright and critic George Bernard Shaw to author St. John Ervine, consoling him on the loss of his leg during World War I. Shaw shared a story about his own experience, injecting a bit of humorous empathy for his friend.

In 1918, whilst serving in the Royal Dublin Fusiliers during World War I, Irish author St. John Ervine suffered an injury that resulted in the amputation of a leg. Soon after, he received a letter of support from his friend, George Bernard Shaw.

This reading was performed during a Letters Live event in 2017 at Union Chapel in London.