I'm interested in really the whole period: the lead-up to the revolution, the revolution itself, and then the rise of Napoleon. I imagine a great deal has been written about this, so what I'm really looking for are good pieces that give an overview of what actually happened for the layman. I've studied a lot of political theory that has to do with the period but don't feel like I have a strong enough grasp on the facts at this point.
The French Revolution is certainly one of the more contested spaces in Historical scholarship. Just getting the 'facts' can be a difficult exercise as explaining why something happened- and not just leaving the events of the Revolution to appear spontaneous- is an exercise that leads to a variety of fascinating answers.
Here are some good starers that are pretty accessible;
Willaim Doyle, The French Revolution: A Very Short Introduction; perhaps more what you are looking for as a general overview.
Paul Hanson, Contesting the French Revolution (2009); overview of the variety of approaches and explanations for why the Revolution happened, why it took such a violent turn, etc. Great overview of the historiography- the history of the history of the revolution.