TITLE: A comprehensive overview of finite fields
QUESTION [12 upvotes]: I've read numerous introductions to finite fields, but I feel like my intuition about them is fairly lacking.  Considering that finite fields are the the most "inert" objects in algebraic geometry, I think I could use a serious surge of perspective.
What I would like to read now is a comprehensive overview that tells me "everything I need to know" about how finite fields and their algebraic closures work, algebraically.  I don't mind working out the proofs on my own if they are terse or absent; I'm just looking for quality and quantity of results.  Hopefully some intense reading will help steep out some of my insecurities about characteristic p.
Can anyone recommend a single source for such an overview?
Thanks!

REPLY [10 votes]: Finite Fields by R. Lidl and H Niederreiter (CUP). Probably as comprehensive as it gets.
The ams review calls it the ``the Bible of finite fields''. You can find it (the review)here.