led reference material

I'm new to the led lighting thing, but I'm rather interested in the process and fabrication of these lights. I was wondering are there any good books or websites the guide you throught the process of creating/understanding these lights. I've taken a few intro electronics courses, but they were mostly geared towards industrial setups regarding plc and robotics programing (ladder/relay logic, etc.) Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Straight to the Horse's Mouth:

http://www.cree.com/products/ledchips.asp

So just to clarify my understanding of some of this.

The led has a certain range for input voltage correct?

That voltage is the sum of battery voltage if they're in series, right?

The led's have a nominal or max amperage that they can handle without taking damage, hence the need for a buckpuck etc.?

How is the voltage regulated in automotive applications? With batteries I understand there is a pretty set max, but how do you account for voltage spikes in some older autos?

Thanks for the help so far.