Farmer Giles of Ham is the foremost of Tolkien's minor works of fiction, both in length as well as in craftsmanship. Yet it must be read in context with the other minor works, specifically Smith of Wooton Major and "Leaf by Niggle."

Though these latter works differ in tone from Farmer Giles of Ham, they all must be grouped together in that they are not works of Middle-earth.

These three works should also be read in light of "On Fairy Stories," Tolkien's exposition of the nature and place of fairy stories. Farmer Giles of Ham is closely bound up with The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.

Readers who enjoy Farmer Giles of Ham should enjoy Tolkien's other works.