Catching the Sky

Starred review from November 16, 2015
The “Infamous Moore Brothers”—as Colten and Caleb Moore were known on the extreme sports circuit—established themselves as daredevil all-terrain vehicle (ATV) racers and thrill riders before taking ESPN’s 2010 X Games by storm on snowmobiles. They grew up poor on the dusty prairie of the Texas panhandle, far away from the snow-covered plains of the upper Midwest (where snowmobiling originated), but they eventually pushed the boundaries of mankind, machine, and gravity. In January 2013, their captivating narrative took a tragic turn when Caleb, 25, became the first competitor to die at the X Games, due to an unsuccessful backflip attempt. The accident devastated Colten, two years his brother’s junior. He sank into depression before deciding to ride again, going on to win gold (and a personal redemption) at the 2014 X Games. Colten and journalist O’Brien (Outside Shot) vividly chronicle the Moore brothers’ rise to fame, their switch from ATVs to snowmobiles, the rewards and challenges of their profession, and the dangers of their chosen sport. The tone is honest, natural, and more sophisticated than readers might expect, making this an early contender for 2016’s top sports books.