Final answer:
James Michener didn't publish his first book until he was 40, and it wasn't a mystery, romance, adventure, or western. Instead, it was a collection of tales.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first book that James Michener published was not a mystery, romance, adventure, or western. Instead, his first book was a collection of tales. Although Michener eventually became known for writing diverse genres such as historical fiction and non-fiction, his first publication was a collection of short stories. It wasn't until he was 40 years old that Michener published his first book.