(Found) Solar sail space ship is a monastery and lightbulb factory (twitter req)

[tachyon]

Here's a challenge for you, I saw this on twitter

https://twitter.com/x/status/1245427582809579522

"Twitter scifi mind, once again my google-fu fails me. Help!

Trying to identify a scifi novel

At one point the protagonist is on a solar sail spaceship. The ship is a space-going monastery. They make money by constructing light-bulbs, filling them with the holy vacuum of space."

Maybe we can help Winchell out.

In a later reply he adds:

"This was a novel I read back in the 1970's. The protagonist was only there for a chapter or so. He was on the run, and was hiding out in the monk ship"

 

[PaulMmn]

"...the Holy vacuum of space!" ROFL

 

[Astro Pen]

No mention of how it ships the light bulbs back ? Or are they planning to market them when the get to Alpha Centauri?
I don't think 'tacking' works with a solar sail

 

[tegeus-Cromis]

Sounds a bit like The Centauri Device by M. John Harrison.

 

[tachyon]

Well the twitterverse is vast and someone has already posted the answer on the twitter thread. I expected it to take a lot longer!

Wrapping it in spoiler tags since I posed this as a challenge:
"Destiny's Orbit" by David Grinnel

 

[Danny McG]

Well the twitterverse is vast and someone has already posted the answer on the twitter thread. I expected it to take a lot longer!

Wrapping it in spoiler tags since I posed this as a challenge:
"Destiny's Orbit" by David Grinnel

Has it been confirmed that the answer on twitter is correct?
I remember (fair enough a long time ago) reading that book, but IIRC the plot doesn't tie in with the description in your original question

 

[tachyon]

Confirmed, yes. He did say the monk ship was only a brief stopover for the protagonist.

 

[HareBrain]

Wrapping it in spoiler tags

That's the first time I've come across ispoilers. Useful to know.