Copyright of received correspondence

This is a pretty basic question, but what is the law with regard to the copyright on a letter that you receive from someone. If one gets a cease and desist letter, a rejection of an article, a letter of recommendation, or countless other letters or emails specifically sent to a person, can the person receiving the letters publish them in a book, a web page, etc, without permission? I see a fair amount of this taking place, but don't fully appreciate the legal issues.

Jamie

-- 
James Love, Director, CPTech, http://www.cptech.org

Consumer Project on Technology in Washington, DC
PO Box 19367, Washington, DC 20036, USA
Tel.:  1.202.387.8030, fax: 1.202.234.5176

Consumer Project on Technology in Geneva
1 Route des  Morillons, CP 2100, 1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland
Tel: +41 22 791 6727

Mobile +1.202.361.3040
james.love[_at_]cptech.org