Author Gregory Paul Harm, M.A. is the nation’s leading authority on the life and work of 20th Century Architectural Sculptor, Lee Lawrie (1877-1963). For many Nebraskans, and especially Lincoln Natives, the Capitol served as a playground, where one could roam around freely, ascend the tower and view the horizon in all four directions. Harm worked at the Nebraska Capitol as a legislative policy research analyst and legal assistant.

Anyone who’s been to the Capitol, this book provides a page by page description of each of the scores of sculptural elements found there, all of which are original works, (as opposed to copies of other sculptures,) that all originated in the Mind of Lee Lawrie. The Capitol’s sculpture program followed a scheme by Hartley Burr Alexander, PhD, honors the multitude of Indian Tribes that live there first, it pays homage to the Pioneers who first settled the State, it explains all of the symbolism behind the sculpture, and tells the story of how Law, Politics and Governing developed over millennia, starting with Moses, through Greek and Roman history and philosophy, English Common Law, American Colonial Law, the Civl War, and up through Nebraska Statehood.

These images explain how American Democracy evolved out of these societies to our present day democracy, that includes written laws and constitutions, legislatures, voting, and civil rights.

Customer Reviews on Amazon:

Frank Hassler

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-read examination of often-overlooked beauty

Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2020

‘Sometimes you can walk past beauty every day and never notice it.
If you’re lucky, someone with a sharper eye and more knowledge points it out to you, and you wonder how you ever missed it.
That is the case for me after a quick initial read of “Lee Lawrie’s Prairie Deco” by Gregory P. Harm, M.A.
The work of Lawrie, an architectural sculptor who did much of his work in the first half of the 20th century, appears throughout the Nebraska State Capitol. Lawmakers, lobbyists, journalists and others walk past it every day, and few take the time to notice or appreciate it.
But in this book, Nebraskans and others who have come into contact with Lawrie’s work – it’s at the U.S. Capitol, the Los Angeles Public Library, the Louisiana State Capitol and Rockefeller Center, among other places – have a chance to fully appreciate it. Along the way, they will learn a lot about the stories behind the Capitol, Lawrie’s role in its construction and a fascinating, rarely told chapter of Nebraska history.
The author’s passion for his subject is apparent on every page. And the book doesn’t just tell the story, it shows it. It’s jam-packed with colorful examples of Lawrie’s art, attractively packaged along with the story and a wealth of facts, trivia and other items of interest. It’s the kind of book you can either read cover to cover or open at any page and find something interesting.
A book about a long-dead sculptor and a Plains state capitol might seem like a niche work. But this book, like Lawrie’s art, will considerably broaden one’s perspective.’