Can I do the same topic or theme as someone else?

Yes!

We encourage this, and I have designed the website with this in mind. We want multiple points of view because that has so much value. 

Note - We do not allow topics to have the same title, so the title would be personalized.

Multiple POVs are one of the best things about this world, you can show people the same thing, and each sees it in a different way and loves it for different reasons. 

I've never had a book list on the same topic share more than 2 books. And, when books overlap, that is great, too, as it helps us model how books are related so that we can deliver great book browsing experiences to readers. If all 5 books were the same as another list, that would be fine as well, as the value is in your personal recommendations and why you love them. 

What do you mean by point of view?

I am always trying to get multiple points of view around the same topic. For example, when we do a list about understanding modern China, that is something I would like to eventually get from...

• Chinese authors inside China
• Chinese authors who live outside of China
• Chinese immigrants who straddle both worlds
• From authors who are Chinese experts but not Chinese
• Not to mention all the diversity within those realms regarding gender, economic experiences, etc...

I hope that makes sense, and feel free to ask questions. 

How does your system promote similar lists like this?

Our entire system is designed to support this. Both our search and topic system has no problem with similar topics/themes.