What a journey Eric Tansey took as a police officer in Raleigh, North Carolina! His stories are raw and real. He highlights his successes and failures with complete honesty and transparency. He is not afraid to call out the frustrations of police work in our politically soft moment. The stories and ribbing between officers keep the readers engaged, laughing, shaking heads, cringing, and feeling the fear and adrenaline of the job. My respect for the men and women behind the badge has grown as a result of reading this memoir. It is definitely worth a read.

The four stars are due to minor qualms. I'm not naive to the presence of foul language used between cops and criminals or between officers in conversation. The use of expletives goes beyond these interactions, however, and is a regular part of the storytelling method, as well. Other than some corny figures of speech, flat attempts at humor, and frequent breaking down of the third wall between author and reader - the stories flow naturally and help the reader to experience a ride-along on the streets of Raleigh.

To be transparent, I requested this book for review from NetGalley because I am friends with the author's parents and knew him as a child. I am proud that he has become a successful husband and father. I am grateful for his service in the military and as a police officer. But I'm also glad to see that some of the personality traits of his childhood remain intact and he is authentically himself. Reading a couple of the reviews of this book, I've noticed that reviewers are turned off by Eric's politics and rigid opinions. Isn't this why we read... to experience things we have never personally experienced through the eyes of people different than ourselves? A mature reader should be able to assess a book without letting their judgment of the author color their conclusion.

Anyway, if you are interested in true stories told by a real cop who faced life and death situations frequently on the beat - Pig Latin is a must-read.

Thank you #Netgalley for the advanced copy! Though the content in this book can be a lot to take in, Eric and Nick do a great job of placing the humor in along the way. You think you know what our law enforcement go through, but you really have no idea of what they really deal with. This book is mixed with so much emotion, there is no way I could do this job. I am so thankful there are individuals like Eric who take this risk everyday to protect their communities. I do have to say as the book wrapped up I was so disappointed to see how he was treated and taken off the force. I can't believe law and government officials can treat somebody like that! I wish Eric all the success in the world!

PHENOMENAL. This book will give you every emotion, sometimes within the same paragraph. Follow Eric Tansey’s police career with stories that are powerful and entertaining. You’ll want to stop mid page to go thank a cop, but also won’t be able to put this down with non stop action.

I wasn’t totally sure what I was getting into with this book. I don’t think I’ve ever really read a police memoir before, but I’m all about learning new things and adventuring into unfamiliar territory. What really pulled me in was the premise — that it wasn’t about glorifying police officers, but about showing what the job is really like. That felt honest and important.

There were definitely some laugh-out-loud moments — a few scenes I really wish had been recorded because I would’ve loved to watch them. But alongside the humor were some heavy, emotional parts. It made me think a lot about the state of our society and how broken some systems are.

What hit hard for me was how much politics dictate public services — from law enforcement to the military to education. It’s infuriating. Decisions start to feel less about what’s best for society and more about what makes someone look good on TV. Tansy even mentions how the media will find a flooded ditch during a “hurricane” just to broadcast fear, and honestly… he’s not wrong. News has become more about clicks and drama than truth.

I’m really grateful I read this book. I appreciated how the author was willing to show both the good and the frustrating parts of the job. He nailed that weird contradiction: people complain there are too many cops, but then are furious when there aren’t enough to respond quickly. It’s a no-win situation, and it sucks that because a few departments were “dirty,” everyone in law enforcement started feeling the heat. I think this book does a great job explaining that nuance.

As the wife of a police officer, this book touched me deeply. I couldn’t put it down - I read it straight through in less than 2 days. It’s all the stories you hear when hanging with the squad, with all the hilarity and all the unbelievable (but true) details, but with the added humanity, emotion, and complexity that you may not hear unless you love a cop. I’m proud of the work Eric and his comrades did in the city of Raleigh, and on this book, and I’m hopeful that more young men and women will hear the call to action and fill the ranks with valor and dedication. Even though the pages of this book are black and white, the stories show that police work isn’t. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like as a cop on the streets, you’ll learn that and much more by reading even just one chapter of this book.

The way Eric told the journey of his time as a police officer was heart wrenching, exciting, and scary. Each chapter was a moving story of Eric growing into his roll and learning the neighborhood that he was serving. It was hard to read some of the stories that he told but was very eye opening as to what all goes on behind the day-to-day work of an officer. I love that the was able to retire and start his business, even though it "forced" the retirement a bit sooner than he may have been ready for.

"A tome to rival Mark Baker's 'COPS', written for this generation" is what I would expect from a dust jacket review for this autobiography.

This book was my first from either of these authors and leaves me ready for more. The manuscript reads like a narration to an episode of Cops. Told in the first person from the real life accounts of Tansey's time in police service, the vignettes will leave you laughing, others crying, some stunned with the the author's grief. All of them will leave you changed.

No matter your opinion of Police or policing in America, this book will leave you thinking differently about what you "know". The tales ring true and are written in unvarnished words which leave the reader walking the same fine line of wanting more of the rush and action but also exhausted of the pain and politics.

Tansey and Palmisciano are engaging storytellers who strike just the right balance in a genre with few entrants. 'Pig Latin' is equally a must-read for those in and adjacent to the profession as well as ordinary citizens.

This honest review is provided in connection with my receipt of an ARC copy through NetGalley provided by the generous staff of Atria Books.

I really enjoyed this book and I hope you will seek out more material like this to publish in the future.

This book is really hard for me to rate and review. I was expecting something much different. The title says it is a funny story. I did not think this book was funny. In fact, I found it very dark. It starts out with a few good stories, and I think it is pretty interesting,but not funny. Then, the middle of the book has a lot of blood and dying. Throughout this portion of the book, I keep looking back at the book description to make sure it says it is supposed to be funny. I really didn't enjoy this portion of the book and realize now that I must not be the target audience.

I did enjoy some of the police stories, and I also enjoyed the parts where he talks about his wine interests. I think I would have enjoyed the book more if the author had shared more of his personal life and made it more of a memoir.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

A surprisingly insightful, thoughtful exploration of Tansey's personal experiences - heart wrenching, thought provoking, and often hilarious. He explores both his personal growth along with the changes in policing. It is unapologetically honest, and everyone is fair game for mockery - usually him! I enjoyed this more than I anticipated. The short story form really encouraged "just one more" and I blame him for some lost sleep!

Thank you for this ARC. I rated the book here and on Good reads 4 stars for the entertainment value. However, I elected not to review the book on Goodreads because the content was a bit disturbing to me. As a Public Defender for almost 20 years, I also see society at it's lowest moments. However, not nearly as much of the up close and personal way Mr. Tansey has see it. I can however very much identify with the need to find humor in the horror of what we encounter in our daily grind. For this reason, I truly laughed along with many of these stories because sometimes, that's all we can do.
Yet I have to say, I found the racial interplay between these white cops and black citizens to be a bit disturbing. While I truly believe the stories are drenched in fact, as we in these sorts of professions literally can't make this shit up, I find the conclusive assertions about a community highly oversimplified and dismissive of the background and basis of generations of poverty, crime, gangs and mistrust of police. While one can be a very good police officer with a high degree of intelligence and competence, it does not make him a expert in public policy, sociologist or psychologist. Similarly, while I am a competent, highly qualified attorney who deals with human turmoil and psychiatric illness on a daily basis; I am by no means an expert to diagnose treat or cure the illnesses of my clients or the society in which they live. These thoughts cause me to give pause to applaud this book because I am applauding the dark humor laughs but find the thought provoking messages the book aims to send somewhat troublesome.

Not sure what to think a out this book. Not sure what to think about this book.

The story was a bit scary to be honest as I kept thinking how weird humans can be. I would not feel comfortable saying thise was entertaining considering the overall subject matter, but it was informative.

Pig Latin by Eric Tansey is a gritty look at cops in a high crime district, forced to deal with gang violence, murder and the usual bureaucratic bs of a big city. Told with a humorous touch, Tansey shares with the reader the challenges and everyday dangers of policing the streets and keeping citizens safe. Action packed with pursuits and other assorted mayhem, Pig Latin is like being on a ride along with a buddy and is a great read!
Book contains language and descriptions that may not be suitable for some readers.

Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to review this book

I thought this was a great representation of the ups and downs of working in the criminal justice field. Stories were told in a way that kept the entire book interesting from start to finish, and didn’t read like a typical non-fiction.

Have I watched his comedy? No. Will I watch his comedy now? I thought so.. but also no.

I think the gimmicky title and book cover will actually serve the book well. He might draw in readers but I’m unsure he’ll keep them.

If you want me to take the following off Goodreads let me know.

The publisher is also a major attraction since it’s a popular and renowned publishing house.


I got a few pages in and was enjoying the book. I think for as much as I read he gives great perspective into the ups and downs as a police officer and he’s well written. But I made the mistake of googling the author.


Maybe I shouldn’t have requested this book tho without looking up the author. Now, normally that’s not something I do. But, I wish I had. Since the book says he’s a comedian I googled him and found his Instagram. I was expecting to see some memes or stand up videos. Unfortunately tho I go to his Instagram and see a video about America fucking up Canada and hashtags about how Trudeau must go. All this coming from an American… he makes lots of jokes about America taking over Canada

So I looked more into his posts. He calls things like no gi gay

He uses the hashtag MAGA (make America great again)

Posts videos of trump and Fox News

Stitches videos of women just to make fun of them

I could keep going but I don’t think it’s worth it. Just not my kind of comedy.

Interestingly tho he’s pro Israel. And he’s into BJJ and fishing which I like.

Let’s look at some facts

-Former police officer
- Former military
- Officer in Raleigh North Carolina

Me a potential reviewer

- Canadian
- Female
- mid twenties


I don’t want to shit on this book tho and while I could finish it and put aside my thoughts on him as a person and his social media posts and probably end up liking his book I’d rather support someone else and read other books. Which is why I’m just posting this instead of finishing and rating it since I was provided an ARC.

So you might be thinking why would I request this book? Simple answer is I know a lot of cops and have read many memoirs, military books, policing books and so on so I thought I might enjoy it. And I was at first. But I can’t get over who I’d be supporting if I read it and that’s on me not the author. Might recommend this book to my boyfriend and other friends tho it’s just not for me.

First and foremost, I received an e-arc from NetGalley!

What’s does Leroy Jenkins, Beyoncé and, the
Grim Reaper have in common? Well, I would tell you but, you should definitely read this hilarious book to find out. It really is an eye opener as to what goes on in the world of a police officer. Even if you do not read non fiction, the stories that Eric tells almost sound like fantasy. Trust me! Read it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with the opportunity to read "Pig Latin" by Eric Tansey before its release.

This book truly opened my eyes to the emotional and physical challenges that law enforcement officers endure. While many people may believe they understand, it is only through living the experience that one can fully grasp the reality. "Pig Latin" provides the public with a glimpse into these experiences, bringing us closer to understanding. The writing is exceptional, immersing the reader in the story and evoking a full range of emotions. I found myself laughing out loud, feeling anger, sadness, and sympathy. Although it can be challenging to rate a non-fiction book with such poignant stories, it was hard not to appreciate this work. I would have completed it in a day if I hadn't forced myself to put it down, as it was incredibly difficult to stop reading. The other officers in the story, particularly Serious and Red, were standout characters and added depth to the narrative.

Overall, "Pig Latin" is an eye-opening and remarkable book that I highly recommend. It offers a profound insight into the lives of law enforcement officers and the hardships they face.

Thank you again to Atria Books for this opportunity to read and review the book.

Thanks Atria Books and Net Galley for the ARC copy. I’m glad I came across it! I couldn’t put the book down, wanted to buy the real physical copy and shared some of the story with friends and family. I laughed, hard, cried a little and just stayed entertained the entire book. I think more officers should be able to share their stories. We on the other side can only know what we hear and see and the involvement with such craziness in our world won’t ever be understood without being in the moment directly and I can’t imagine what it’s like first hand. Great book!

Pig Latin has it all! Eric Tansy tells masterful stories and isn’t afraid to be real, even if he’s the butt of the joke. Tansy’s stories are hilarious and then tense and then sad and then back to hilarious again. With his No BS writing style, at times you feel as if you’re on the most unbelievable ride-along of your life. Thoroughly enjoyed the read!

Eric Tansey left the military for his wife and joined the police force. Officer Tansey experiences the good, the bad, and the ugly throughout his tenure on the force with some of the funniest policy stories I have ever heard.

I found this book engrossing and I enjoyed reading the stories without any political agenda. Reading this was like going on a ride along during an episode of Cops.


Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Pig Latin was an easy 5 stars for me.

It was not politically correct, Eric Tansey was not always likable and it was not easy to read... but it felt EXTREMELY real. Everyone (especially people out there protesting against police officers and their actions) need to read this.

Officer Tansey's adventures show the difficult decisions and the lizard brain actions that officers everywhere need to deal with and overcome. The political side of being a police officer makes the job almost impossible and my respect and deeper understanding goes out to those in blue, thanks to this book.

Word of caution: because Tansey is thorough in his experiences and descriptions, there are some very graphic details in many chapters. I am usually not grossed out, but some of the descriptions made me cringe. It is worth going through those scenes to understand the full scale of what he had to deal with. There is also comedic relief sprinkled throughout to help lighten some of the impact.