Check out the link below. It's not one of those $25K amp you see on Gordon's site, but it is one of his earlier designs and he does go into quite a bit of detail on circuit description. While Gordon Rankin does sell $25K amps, he's also a strong supporter of DIY community and is quite active on the AA Tube DIY board. This Bugle Amp has got a lot of positive feedback.As for books, Morgan Jones is highly recommended, but is definately not for beginners. Bruce Rozenblit's Beginner's Guide is excellent for beginners and does not treat you like an idiot.
Not sure if you've come across these two links, but they are very educational. If not everything you need to know to start designing your own amp, you'll at least be able to read and understand most schematics:
http://www.audioxpress.com/resource/audioclass/
http://www.tubecad.com/index_files/page0039.htm
Gar.