The only time I'd probably think really badly of someone with full bookshelves is if it's one of two particular types of shelves and they're trying to pass the books off as their personal, thoroughly read, library:
1) Shelves full of those abridged sets of classics with the pretty gold foil, leather spines, embossing and absolutely no sign that any of the books have ever been opened, never mind read.
no subject
1) Shelves full of those abridged sets of classics with the pretty gold foil, leather spines, embossing and absolutely no sign that any of the books have ever been opened, never mind read.
2) Decorative books, when taken to the excesses mentioned in this New York Times article: Selling a Book by Its Cover
https://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/06/garden/06books.html?_r=1
Although, I suppose both cases are really An Excess of Decorative Books, with one simply being easier to spot than the other.
Luckily, my social circles have not put me in contact with anyone who meets all of those conditions. :P