I took a look at my old Jenkins and White (3rd Edition) and find some
aspects of its discussion of optical activity quite good and others a
little confusing.
For instance, figure 28G on my page 577 (showing a wave surface diagram
for a right-handed quartz crystal) nicely illustrates how the material
preserves *circular* polarization forms for propagation along the optic
axis, *linear* polarization forms for propagation perpendicular to the
optic axis, and elliptical forms (in between circular and linear) for
propagation at intermediate angles to the optic axis.
On the other hand, I find J&W's discussion of principal planes almost
impenetrable. I'd look at Hecht for a far clearer, if somewhat less
comprehensive, analysis.