Seeking source for conceptual understanding of light waves

I would like to find a book or other source that gives a good conceptual
understanding of light waves. So far I have just come across textbooks that
are mostly mathematical or just deal in facts, without giving a sense of the
bigger picture. I am looking for a source that will give me a relatively
thorough integrated notion of light waves. E.g., what is happening at the
atomic level that makes one light wave polarized and another not. And which
shows the evidence that light waves longitudinal or transverse. I am
struggling to get a full picture here. I would really like to have a good
conceptual understanding which is complete to the point that I do not feel
there are huge holes in what has been communicated.

I own two physics textbooks, and "Principles of Optics" by Born and Wolf,
and just ordered "Introduction to Electrodynamics" which I will not receive
for a week.

Any ideas of a source that will cover what I am interested in in an easy to
digest form?

Reece


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