Kernel/Hardware hacking start?

[Glover George]

As Eliezer dos Santos Magalhaes was wondering, I too am wanting to learn
about hacking the linux kernel as well as device drivers.  I actually own
Linux Device Drivers (1st edition), but was wondering if someone could
direct me towards a source that explained how operating systems deal with
boot up, initialization of hardware, and the like.  In other words, I want
to learn the kernel from boot up to shutdown.  Is there a comprehensive
guide out there for this?  I would like to learn more about the low level
hardware stuff and programming it (the more i think about it, the more it
seems like i just need to re-read Linux Device Drivers :-) ) Is the kernel
the best place to learn this?  Any suggestions would be apprecitated.  Thank
you.