“At precisely the moment when our diverse and multi-ethnic nation needs a spiritual lift, Sid Balman gives us a portrait of the complex racial and generational relations that define who we really are as Americans. You can smell the creosote of the desert and taste the huevos rancheros in this tale of West Texas, but this is really a splendid account of what being American is all about, a rich portrait useful to us all.”

Mike McCurry, former White House Press Secretary (1995-98) and Director/Professor, Center for Public Theology, Welsey Theological Seminary, Washington DC

"Sid Balman combines his journalistic talent with a flair for storytelling and a keen understanding of the cycle of violent extremism. His story comes alive through sympathetic characters and descriptions of places so nuanced I imagined I could almost feel again the scratchy grey wool of the West Point uniform. Anyone paying attention to the global struggle with radicalism will come away with a much keener understanding of the humans who fall prey, the context that claims them, and the necessity to tackle this challenge with more finesse than we currently muster."

Kimberly C. Field, Brigadier General USA (ret) and Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Conflict and Stabilization

“Seventh Flag is a fascinating combination of fiction mirroring reality which takes the reader through the eyes of two very different families across continents whilst they experience different cultures. As they move through time and four generations, they go through the trials and tribulations that we are currently experiencing across different societies and religions. These difficulties are cushioned by every day joys of playing American football or welcoming a member of the new generation. Their journey together helps them appreciate the different challenges and choices individuals must make, the importance of family and their common humanity. A must read which creatively uses language to make the reader feel like they are part of a multicultural wedding; amongst the chaos and delights of India; or on the battlefield having to make life and death choices. Sid Balman has used his vast professional and personal experiences to enlighten the reader by reading the Seventh Flag.”

Shaykh Siddiqi, Founder Hijaz College; and The Blessed Guide of the Naqshbandi Hijazi Sufi Order

“Think you know what shapes Texas? Sid Balman’s tale of a Seventh Flag over Texas will rattle what you think. This saga of a generational partnership “as unlikely as the idea of a United States” is rooted in a true event from before the Civil War that led to Texas, of all places, being home to more Muslim Americans than any other state.”

Mark Stein, New York Times bestselling author of How the States Got Their Shapes

“Sid Balman’s captivating western saga traces two families through four generations as they experience many of the defining events of recent decades. Seventh Flag’s rapid paced narrative takes readers from the football fields of West Texas to the battlefields of the Middle East; from Mexican shootouts to an Ashram in India. A former war correspondent, Balman’s lively prose has his audience inside a tank’s turret and with the media cluster in the rear of the Secretary of State’s aircraft. Throughout, the reader’s pleasure is enhanced by artful description of the geography and cultures his well molded protagonists encounter. The book entertains and enlightens!”

US Ambassador James Bishop (Ret.)